VAR CF9080 PRESIDENT-7PT LIBERAL/CONSERVATIVE SCALE
COLUMNS 821 - 821
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
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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
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, 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.
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); 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
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