For all the millions the presidential campaigns have spent, it’s pretty hard to sway public opinion away from the pre-existing basics.

Hillary Rodham Clinton? Female, feminist… a Clinton. Barack Obama? Inexperienced. Mitt Romney? Mormon. John McCain? Military service.

And old.

Yet McCain, the Arizona senator who has won the past two GOP primaries, has turned that around and become his party’s front-runner.

No one has been better at shaping public opinion so far in the 2008 race than McCain, especially on the Republican side.

According to an AP-Yahoo poll released Friday, John McCain, 71, is widely seen as experienced, strong, honest and decisive.

On the flip side, nearly half of those polled could not say anything when asked to describe McCain’s primary remaining rival, Mitt Romney.

Surprising, especially for Mitt Romney (pictured) who spent $40 million (much of it his own) to get his name and message before voters.

The survey shows people largely drawing their views of the candidates from contenders’ personal qualities and traits.

Even many Democrats have little bad to say about McCain.

Continue reading this article on voters’ political pulse …