Survey content overview
Following is an overview of the NAES08-Phone survey content, including variable subject categories and summaries of key lines of questioning. See the variable catalog for the full list of variables.
NAES08-Phone variables are grouped and ordered by subject categories. The grid below provides an overview of subject categories and sub-categories.
The same subject category scheme is used for NAES08-Online, although variable names do not match across the phone and online editions. The category scheme generally corresponds with that used for the NAES04 and NAES00.
= expand subject (show variable directory)
Category letters
Category title
Notes on content
0
Case and interview ID
Respondent/interview ID, interview date and time, random assignment to sample splits
A
General perceptions of candidates and political figures
Candidate favorability, conservative – liberal orientation, character and leadership traits, job approval; grids of key questions below
AA
Republican candidates
AAg
Rudy Giuliani
AAh
Mike Huckabee
AAm
John McCain
AAp
Sarah Palin
AAr
Mitt Romney
AAt
Fred Thompson
AAu
Ron Paul
AB
Democratic candidates
ABb
Joe Biden
ABc
Hillary Clinton
ABe
John Edwards
ABo
Barack Obama
AC
Independent candidates
ACb
Bob Barr
ACn
Ralph Nader
AD
Candidates overall
AE
Incumbent federal officials
AF
Other political figures
C
Current issues — opinions and perceptions
Respondent's own opinions on issues, perceptions of candidates on the issues; grids of key questions below
CA
Current issues in general
CB
Economic issues
CBa
Economy overall
CBb
Taxes
Taxes in general, Bush tax cuts, targeted tax cuts, estate tax elimination, abolishing IRS
CBc
Trade
CBd
Financial crisis
In general, fall bailout, home foreclosures
CC
Health and social welfare issues
CCa
Health care
In general, insurance mandates, insurance credits, taxing employer benefits
CCb
Social insurance
Social Security and Medicare
CCc
Education
School vouchers
CD
Foreign affairs
CDa
Foreign affairs in general
Fitness to be commander-in-chief, approach to diplomacy
CDb
Iraq
War effort overall, decision to go to war, troop surge
CDc
Homeland security / terrorism
Iran, Guantanamo closing
CDd
Immigration
Overall approach, driver's licenses for illegal immigrants
CE
Social issues
CEa
Abortion
CEb
Stem cell research
CEc
Gay rights
CEd
Other
CF
Energy and environment
CFa
Energy
Gas tax suspension, ban on coastal oil drilling
CFb
Environment
Overall approach, cap and trade
CG
Other issues
Senate ethics reform
EB
Television
EC
Radio
ED
Newspapers
EE
Online media
EF
Opinions of media
F
Campaign discourse — exposure and opinions
FA
Debates
FAa
Primary debates
Exposure to specific primary debates
FAb
General election debates
Exposure to presidential and vice presidential debates, assessments of candidates' performance; grid of key questions below
FBa
Republican convention
FBb
Democratic convention
FC
Political advertising
FD
Other campaign/political discourse
KA
Interest in the campaign
KB
Political discussion
KC
Contact by campaigns
Contacted by campaign, method and frequency of contact by campaign
KD
Contribution to campaigns
Contributed to candidate, method of contributing to candidate, frequency and amount of contribution
KE
Work for campaigns
Worked for candidate, method of working for candidate
KF
Other support for campaigns
Attended political meeting, showed campaign sign
KG
Online/social media use for political activities
Visited campaign website, viewed online campaign video, forwarded online campaign information, discussed politics online, read or commented on political blog, contacted by campaign to email others
M
Orientation to politics
MA
Party identification and ideology
MB
Political confidence and efficacy
MC
General political knowledge
N
Perceptions of candidates' electoral chances
NA
Primary election
NAa
Likely primary outcomes
NAb
Primary endorsements
NAc
Actual primary outcomes
NB
General election
NBa
Likely general election outcomes
NBb
General election endorsements
R
Voting behavior and attitudes
Grid of key questions below about voting in the primary and general presidential elections
RA
Voter registration
RB
Primary election
RBa
Intended primary vote
RBb
Actual primary vote
RC
General election
RCa
Intended general election vote
RCb
Actual general election vote
RCc
Congressional elections
RD
Prior elections
S
Social group perceptions
SA
Perceptions of racial and gender favoritism
SB
Comparative perceptions of racial groups
SC
Influence of social factors on elections
W
Demographics
WA
Sex, age, education, and income
WB
Employment
WC
Race/ethnicity and citizenship
WD
Religion
WE
Military service
WF
Household characteristics
WFa
Household/family composition
WFb
Residency and dwelling type
WFc
Geographic location
WG
Internet access and telephone lines
WH
Other demographics
WHa
Language
WHb
Sexual orientation
WHc
Gun ownership
WHd
Health insurance
Republican candidates
Mike Huckabee
John McCain
Sarah Palin
Mitt Romney
Republican candidates, continued
Democratic candidates
Joe Biden
Hillary Clinton
John Edwards
Barack Obama
Questions about current issues included measures of:
- The respondent's own opinions on issues
- Perceptions of the Republican primary candidates on issues
- Perceptions of the Democratic primary candidates on issues
- Perceptions of the candidates overall on issues
Economic issues
Own opinion
Republican candidates
Democratic candidates
Candidates overall
Taxes:
Financial crisis:
Health and social welfare issues
Own opinion
Republican candidates
Democratic candidates
Candidates overall
Foreign affairs
Own opinion
Republican candidates
Democratic candidates
Candidates overall
Foreign affairs in general:
Iraq:
Homeland security / terrorism:
Immigration:
Social issues
9/26 presidential debate
10/2 vice presidential debate
10/7 presidential debate
10/15 presidential debate
Debates overall
Questions about political participation varied by interviewing date. In general:
- Through the beginning of June, respondents were asked about political activities in the past week.
- During the second half of June, a random half of respondents was asked about political activities in the past week, while the other random half was asked about political activities during the campaign so far.
- During July, respondents were asked about political activities retrospectively during the primary election campaign.
- From early August through Election Day, respondents were asked again about political activities in the past week.
- In the Post-Election Reinterview, respondents were asked about political activities retrospectively during the general election campaign.
Contact by campaigns
Contribution to campaigns
Work for campaigns
Other support for campaigns
Online/social media use for political activities
Past week (1)
Past week (2)
Campaign so far
Primary election
General election
Primary election:
Intended vote:
Republican candidate would vote for today
Democratic candidate would vote for today
Actual vote:
Voted
Republican candidate voted for
Democratic candidate voted for
General election:
Intended vote:
Would vote today for McCain, Obama, Nader, or Barr (6/24 – 9/25)
Would vote today for McCain, Obama, Nader, Barr, or McKinney (9/26 – )
Actual vote:
Voted for McCain, Obama, Nader, or Barr (9/18 – 9/25)
Voted for McCain, Obama, Nader, Barr, or McKinney (9/26 – )