[Straight Vermonter]

I found this to be interesting:

D3. When thinking about politics and government, do you consider yourself to be...
(READ LIST, ROTATE TOP TO BOTTOM, BOTTOM TO TOP)
Very conservative.......................................................18%
Somewhat conservative..............................................40%
MODERATE (DNR) ....................................................3%
Somewhat liberal.........................................................26%
Very liberal....................................................................7%
UNSURE/DK (DNR) ...................................................6%

[narses]

58%! Guess what will happen Tuesday? :)

[Greek]

Suspect, because moderate numbers are usually closer to 25%

[Scott from the Left Coast]

I think that's a very accurate picture of what the population thinks of themselves. It's, obviously, not an accurate picture of reality -- but quite in line with the fantasy fog many people live in.

Let me give you a quick annecdotal example that's a bit of fun: My dear 87-year old mother considers herself an independent and would call herself conservative. She thinks this because once way back in 1972 she voted for Nixon. The only time in her life she EVER voted for a Republican! She thinks she is a conservative because she opposes abortion, though she has never voted for anyone who opposed abortion themselves!!! Economically, she's a radical unionist, somewhere right about on the mark with Vladimir Lenin. Yet, she would answer this question as being "somewhat conservative". She thinks Bill Clinton was "very conservative"!