Hillary,Obama and Edwards

Most Americans want their next president to be strong, decisive and of good moral character, but fewer seem to care if he or she has been unfaithful to their spouse¹, or even tried drugs.

A Gallup poll released on Thursday showed that while Republicans and Democrats² are essentially³ looking for the same qualities in the next president of the United States, they differ on some important issues.

Some 77 percent of the 1,006 people polled across the country said the next president must be a strong and decisive leader, although only 34 percent said the next incumbent⁴ must have experience of government.

But where the two camps divided was on personal qualities. Only 37 percent in total said it was "absolutely essential" that the next US leader has been a faithful spouse -- but broken down along party lines the figure was 52 percent among Republicans and only 25 percent among Democrats.

Gallup said this was the "starkest⁵ partisan⁶ gap" in the poll carried out late last month and "may stem from opposing partisan perspectives on the marital⁷ foibles of former president Bill Clinton."

As for the thorny⁸ issue of drugs, voters showed themselves to be more tolerant with a total of 19 percent saying the next president should be someone who has never tried drugs -- 22 percent among Republicans and 17 percent among Democrats.

Around a third of those polled said the next president had to be honest and straightforward⁹, making it the top of the five most desirable personal qualities in the country's leader.

But Republicans also cited integrity and good moral character, while Democrats preferred that he or she should listen to the people and not lobbyists, and focus on domestic issues rather than foreign policy.

"Democrats have a greater interest than Republicans in wanting a president who will consider public opinion when making decisions," the poll said.