Despite the economy and energy prices’ dramatic rise as a top issue among the electorate, voters indicate that the war in Iraq, illegal immigration, and continued protection from terrorism are also key concerns and will play a significant role in how they choose the next President of the United States.

The recently released AP/Yahoo News Poll demonstrates that voters are largely unsure which candidate can best fix the ailing economy (32% Obama - 28% McCain); however, they clearly believe that McCain is best equipped to deal with:

The situation in Iraq (39% McCain - 33% Obama)
Terrorism (44% McCain - 20% Obama)
Immigration (30% McCain - 24% Obama)

Clearly, voters trust McCain with overall security of the country and believe that he can reign-in the situation in Iraq.  The key for the McCain campaign now lies in proving that his experience can bring economic relief.  This is a far less strenuous task than Obama’s, who first has to prove that he is even trustworthy.  But, voters may have a hard time trusting in a candidate that is untested. 

Campaign media can do a lot, but building an alternate reality where Obama has actual leadership experience is not something I’ve ever seen political ads (even the best ads) do.