Presidential Image

Ideally, American voters would base their decision on an impartial analysis of a candidate's positions on the issues. Unfortunately, that is not usually the case. A candidate's "image" plays just a big role as policy issues. Let's see if that is the case for you. Please respond to the following issues of "image" for the candidates:

• Two of the candidates are Mormon. Should one's religious affiliation make a difference in one's voting?
• One candidate is 75 years old. Should excessive age make a difference in one's voting decision?
  
• In 2008, race was a big issue. Should a candidate's race matter? What about gender?
  

I know that in theory, things such as age, race and religion should not play much of a difference. Why do Americans make such a big deal about these topics?