Obama's appeal is in part related to how he resurrects American soft power and restores the United States' image around the world

which 82 percent of the respondents in the new [WaPo] poll said has been badly damaged during Bush's presidency. By 2 to 1, Americans think that Obama would do more to improve the country's image abroad than McCain would.

And how's this for a sea-change:

On social issues such as abortion and same-sex civil unions, 56 percent prefer Obama, 32 percent McCain.

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