Google News
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5jKRQZwc...JI_qpgD90476A00



Highlights of AP-Yahoo poll
By The Associated Press – 1 hour ago

CLINTON THE SLASHER?

Democrats Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton have traded criticisms for months, but Americans see Clinton as playing rougher. Asked if any candidate has "attacked the others unfairly," 54 percent cited Clinton and 36 percent named Obama. Only 16 percent cited John McCain, who vanquished his Republican competitors long ago.

PLEASE, AL, RECONSIDER

Many independent voters wish they had other choices, such as, say, a Nobel Peace Prize-winning maker of environmental films. They give former Vice President Al Gore higher overall marks than Clinton, Obama or McCain. Forty-six percent of the independents have a favorable view of Gore, compared with 43 percent for McCain, 42 percent for Obama and 33 percent for Clinton. Gore fares much worse among Republicans, with just an 18 percent favorable rating.

OBAMA, LOVE HIM OR HATE HIM

Obama elicits strong opinions, good and bad, once people get to know him. In November, 11 percent rated him as "very favorable," 15 percent said "very unfavorable," and 22 percent didn't know enough to form an opinion. By April, the "don't know" crowd had shrunk to 8 percent. Twenty percent rated Obama "very favorable" and 25 percent "very unfavorable."

PEOPLE JUST DON'T THINK SHE'S HONEST

The proportion of people who see the candidates as "not at all honest" and "not at all ethical" jumped much more significantly for Obama than for Clinton over the past five months. The bad news for Clinton? Her numbers were much higher to begin with, so she still fares poorly by comparison. Thirty-six percent saw Clinton as "not at all honest" in November, and it grew to 40 percent in April. The comparable ratings for Obama were 18 percent in November and 27 percent in April. The trend was similar for "not at all ethical."

EXPERIENCE COUNTS?

People see Clinton as much more experienced than Obama. But that doesn't keep Democrats from viewing him as the stronger nominee in the fall. Only 6 percent of those polled said Obama is "very experienced," compared with 26 percent for Clinton. Forty percent rated Obama as "not at all experienced," compared with 19 percent for Clinton.