ABC News/Washington Post Check-In Poll, September 2000

This poll, fielded September 28-October 1, 2000, is part of a continuing series of monthly surveys that solicit public opinion on the presidency and on a range of other political and social issues. Respondents were asked whether they intended to vote in the November 7, 2000, presidential election and for whom they would vote if the election were held that day, given a choice between Vice President Al Gore and Connecticut senator Joseph Lieberman (Democratic Party), Texas governor George W. Bush and former Secretary of Defense Dick Cheney (Republican Party), conservative commentator Pat Buchanan and educator Ezola Foster (Reform Party), and consumer advocate Ralph Nader and activist Winona LaDuke (Green Party). Respondents were asked which candidate they trusted to do a better job holding taxes down, improving education and the schools, holding down the cost of gasoline and home heating oil, holding down health care costs, and helping the middle class. Views were sought on whether the United States emergency supply of oil should be used to contain costs this winter or saved for a larger emergency, and whether President Clinton released 5 percent of the nation's oil reserves because it was best for the country or to boost Gore's presidential campaign. Additional topics covered the respondents' impression of Clinton as a person and his policies and programs, whether a smaller government with fewer services was preferable to a larger government with many services, and whether respondents intended to watch the televised October 3 presidential debate and the televised October 5 vice-presidential debate. Background information on respondents includes age, gender, political party, political orientation, voter registration and participation history, education, religion, Hispanic origin, urban/rural residence, and household income.