For all the complaints about attack ads, the quality of the campaign, and 527 groups, the American people have come to see a clear difference between the major candidates on the most important issue of Election 2004.

By a 66% to 17% margin, voters believe that finishing the mission in Iraq is more important to George W. Bush than getting U.S. soldiers home as soon as possible.

By a 64% to 18% margin, voters believe that John Kerry has the opposite view.

As for voters themselves, 52% believe that finishing the mission is more important while 42% say getting the troops home should be the top priority. This alignment helps explain why the President has taken the lead over Senator Kerry while heading into the first Presidential Debate.

These results confirm another finding that 54% of voters favor leaving U.S. soldiers in Iraq until that country's political situation is stabilized. Also, since John Kerry has begun his more aggressive posture on the War with Iraq, the number of people seeing him as politically liberal has increased to its highest level of the year.

As with most issues surrounding the War with Iraq, Bush voters are united and Kerry voters are divided. One third (31%) of Kerry voters believe that finishing the mission in Iraq should be the top priority. Most Kerry voters (56%) say getting troops home right away is more important.

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Rasmussen Reports is an independent public opinion research firm that provides daily updates on the Presidential election and the nation's economic confidence. We also update our Electoral College projections on a regular basis.