VAR CF9080 PRESIDENT-7PT LIBERAL/CONSERVATIVE SCALE

VAR CF9080    PRESIDENT-7PT LIBERAL/CONSERVATIVE SCALE
              COLUMNS 984-984
              NUMERIC
              MD EQ 0 OR GE 8


        We hear a lot of talk these days about liberals and conservatives.
        I'm going to [1996-later: Here is a] show you a 7-point scale on which
        the political views that people might hold are arranged from extremely
        liberal to extremely conservative.  (7-POINT SCALE SHOWN TO R)

        Where would you place <president> on this scale?

        LIBERAL/CONSERVATIVE-- PRESIDENT'S RATING ON 7-POINT SCALE
        -------------------------------------------------------------------

        USE WEIGHT VARIABLE VCF0009/VCF0009A/VCF0009B.

        The presidents referred to in each year are:
                1972: RICHARD NIXON
                1974: GERALD FORD
                1976: GERALD FORD
                1978: JIMMY CARTER
                1980: JIMMY CARTER
           1982-1988: RONALD REAGAN
                1990: GEORGE BUSH
                1992: GEORGE BUSH
                1994: BILL CLINTON
                1996: BILL CLINTON
                1998: BILL CLINTON
                2000: BILL CLINTON

        NO SELF-PLACEMENT INAPS 1972-1982:
        If R replied DK or "haven't thought much about it" in rating self on
        same 7-point scale, then R was not asked this question. [Note that in
        1972-1982 there was no follow-up question ('if you had to choose.')
        for self-rating.]

        NO SELF-PLACEMENT INAPS 1984-1990,1994:
        If R's response to the follow-up for self-placement ('if you had to
        choose.') was DK, then R was not asked this question and R has been
        coded 0 here.

        In 1996, since the incumbent President was also the Democratic
        Presidential candidate, the order of administration for this var was
        affected by the fact that randomization occurred for the order of the
        3 major Presidential candidate names for this placement.

        In 2000, both telephone and FTF respondents were randomly selected
        for administration of the traditional 7-pt scale version of this
        question or a branching series version.  The 7-point scale version
        from both modes is represented here.

               1.   EXTREMELY LIBERAL
               2.   LIBERAL
               3.   SLIGHTLY LIBERAL
               4.   MODERATE; MIDDLE OF THE ROAD
               5.   SLIGHTLY CONSERVATIVE
               6.   CONSERVATIVE
               7.   EXTREMELY CONSERVATIVE

               8.   DK
               9.   NA; INAP, no post IW (1972); forms III,IV (1972); R
                    selected for branching version of this question;
                    question not used
               0.   DK/Haven't thought about self-rating on same 7-point scale
                    [see above] (not 1996 or later)

        1972:  653      1974:  2306     1976:  3287
        1978:  400      1980:  268      1982:  394
        1984:  371      1986:  387      1988:  236
        1990:  408      1992:  3514     1994:  841
        1996:  960369   1998:  980403   2000:  000449


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