Poll: Obama cares; McCain is decisive

TRENTON, N.J., Aug. 28 (UPI) -- Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., would make a caring U.S. president while Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., would be a decisive leader, poll results indicate.

The Gallup Organization said Thursday a poll it conducted with USA Today found that when respondents were asked to tab the two presidential hopefuls with key characteristics, Obama collected those related to caring and partnership while McCain was seen as very decisive.

The results came from an Aug. 21-23 telephone poll of 1,023 adults nationwide and respondents ultimately gave the Democratic presidential candidate a minimum seven point edge in four characteristic dimensions.

Those dimensions included caring about people's needs, being independent, sharing respondents' values and the ability to work well with both parties to get things done.

Meanwhile, the presumptive Republican presidential candidate beat Obama by a significant margin in one category: being a strong and decisive leader.

Gallup said the poll, which had a margin of error of 3 percent, also found that 80 percent of respondents thought McCain could cope with presidential responsibilities, while only 53 percent thought the same about Obama.