How do Hillary Clinton, Oprah Winfrey and Sarah Palin rank?
From Denny: Check out the recent Gallup Poll lately? Guess who are the most admired people of 2010? You would be correct if you guessed President Obama as the most admired man in America. Obama, now the 44th president, was listed as the most admired man in America back in 2008 and 2009 too. So far, Obama has risen above the usual iconic religious leaders and former presidents.
*** Be sure to check out the links in the post as it's some interesting reading on their biographies and accomplishments.
Most Admired Men
Most admired man by group polled:
Democrats chose Barack Obama by 46 percent, Bill Clinton by 7 percent and Nelson Mandela by 5 percent.
Independents chose Obama by 17 percent (about one-third of Independents are former Democrats)
Republicans, of course, chose George W. Bush first, yet surprisingly, chose Obama as second.
Ever since Gallup began this Most Admired Man Poll back in 1946 it was sitting presidents who dominated the results. Apparently, it's typical for presidents in their second year of office to be ranked as the most admired of any living man in the world. Talk about "go to your head." That must be some heady stuff to wrap your brain around.
How Obama ranked in recent years since his election:
2008 - Americans chose Obama by 32 percent, extremely high for just a president-elect, though that percentage is similar to when Republican President Dwight Eisenhower was chosen.
2209 - Americans chose Obama by 30 percent, the highest for the first year of office for a president.
2010 - Americans chose Obama by 22 percent this year, clearly less popular, reflecting the frustration of voters with his constant compromise and weak legislation.
A religious icon making his 54th appearance in the top 10 of most admired men is Rev. Billy Graham. That doubles the number President Ronald Reagan showed when he was in the top 10. His score was 31 appearances.
President Jimmy Carter was not named for the past two years but showed up in this year's poll for his 27th appearance. He tied with Pope John Paul II for the third all-time.
Most Admired Women
Who is the most admired woman for her ninth consecutive year? Hillary Clinton. She has dominated the Most Admired Woman title for much of the the past two decades. She has to her credit 15 times she has ranked as number one on this poll since she first appeared on it back in 1992.
Other notables on this year's list? The same as in 2009 (not in order of ranking):
Queen Elizabeth II
Sarah Palin
Oprah Winfrey
Michelle Obama
Condoleezza Rice
Women most admired by group polled:
Democrats chose Hillary Clinton by 31 percent, Oprah Winfrey by 13 percent, Michelle Obama by 10 percent.
Independents chose Hillary Clinton by 15 percent, Oprah Winfrey by 10 percent and Sarah Palin by 7 percent.
Republicans chose Sarah Palin by 26 percent, Oprah Winfrey by 8 percent and Hillary Clinton by 5 percent. (Remember, Hillary was a registered Republican in her youth, "a Goldwater Girl," later changing to Democrat when she married Bill Clinton)
Queen Elizabeth II has appeared in the top ten of the poll for 43 times, the highest record for any woman. Oprah Winfrey hasn't done bad for herself either. She consistently polls in the top ten, around second or third, for every year since 1997. She has always been ranked somewhere in the top ten since 1988, a tribute to the longevity of her popularity, though she has never placed as number one.
What do these First Ladies all have in common: Eleanor Roosevelt, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and Hillary Clinton? All share a strong popularity long beyond their husband's presidencies. Of course, Hillary Clinton has done many "firsts" like she was the first former First Lady to run for Senator and won. Clinton was the first First Lady to run for President, and was the first First Lady to become the Secretary of State. Definitely a memorable career that will keep the history books talking for centuries.
Over the years of this poll of most admired women it is First Ladies who figure prominently in the top three spots during their White House tenure. Unlike their husbands they do not seem to garner the top spot. The only First Lady to win that top spot has been, you guessed it, Hillary Clinton. She experienced six number one rankings during Bill Clinton's two terms as president.
How did Nancy Reagan do on the list? She achieved the top spot for three times during her husband's two terms. What about Barbara Bush? She soared to the top spot twice during her husband's one term. What about Rosalynn Carter? She either tied for first place or won the top spot during three years of her husband's single term.
Top overall ranking? No one has won it since Laura Bush did back in 2001, the year of the terrorist attack on the Twin Towers in New York City.
What about First Lady Michelle Obama, how is she faring? Apparently, not well, turning in a single digit performance. Perhaps she is overshadowed by her husband? Her numbers are on the low side compared to most First Ladies, though Obama's are as low as Laura Bush's for most of her husband's presidency. Rosalynn Carter also experienced low numbers during the first year of her husband's presidency.
One explanation for low numbers turned in for Michelle Obama is because most Democrats give higher mentions to Hillary Clinton, someone with a longer and larger body of public work. Michelle Obama also trails Oprah Winfrey in mentions among Democrats. Winfrey is also another long term powerhouse in the public domain. It will be interesting to see Michelle Obama decades from now as she adds to her current public works. Tackling childhood obesity and diabetes is an admirable goal. And reintroducing fellow Americans to good nutrition as an alternative to fast food is a tough sell too. Michelle Obama, like many first ladies at this point in their husband's terms, is still in the early stages of carving out a niche for herself.
This USA Today/Gallup poll surveyed 1,019 adults over the age of 18, using random sampling from 10-12 Dec 2010.
*** Be sure to check out the links in the post as it's some interesting reading on their biographies and accomplishments.
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