Poll: McCain Better for Tough Decisions

According to a Fox News poll, there appears to be a gap of between 10 and 20 points over how voters see the parties and what they think of the candidates. Between one-tenth and one-fifth of America's voters feel that the Democratic Party would be the best for the country but like the McCain-Palin ticket better.
Here are the issues:
By seven points, they identify as Democrats more than Republicans. But by 16 points, they say that if they faced the "toughest decision of your life" they would go to McCain rather than Obama for advice.
They think the Democrats will do better on healthcare by 19 points, but by 20 points they think McCain is more qualified than Obama to be president.

..... But McCain has opened up a decisive lead over Obama, actually using the Democrat's articulateness against him.
Asked in the Fox News poll whether each candidate is a "talker" or a "doer," voters perceive Obama as more of a talker by 15 points and see McCain as more of a doer by 24 points.
This kind of gap in the assessment of the candidates shows dramatically what a steep hill Obama has yet to climb. But the fact that the very same sample on the Fox News poll turned right around and voted for McCain by only three points shows how skewed the party preference is against McCain.
In effect, a lot of Democrats and independents are saying we trust McCain more, he has better judgment, he is more of a doer, and we think he's more qualified — but we are going to vote for Obama because he is a Democrat and we agree with his party more on healthcare, energy, and the economy.
What will prevail? Party or candidate? It's hard to tell. But debates are between people, not parties, and it is the three debates that will probably determine the outcome of this race.