Gallup – The Most Admired People of 2010

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I know you all have been waiting with bated breath for the annual Gallup poll results and here they are:

Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton Are 2010’s Most Admired

President Barack Obama is Americans’ Most Admired Man of 2010, substantially ahead of the former presidents, iconic religious leaders, and others who fill out the top 10 list. Obama first became Americans’ Most Admired Man in 2008, shortly after his election as the nation’s 44th president, and has held the title since then.

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Sitting presidents have dominated Gallup’s Most Admired Man poll over the years, achieving No. 1 in 52 out of 64 measures since Gallup initiated the question in 1946.

The 22% of Americans naming Obama this year as the man they most admire of any living man in the world is typical for presidents in their second year of office. However, Obama does less well this year than in previous years.

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Hillary Clinton is the Most Admired Woman this year, her ninth consecutive year at No. 1.

In fact, the order of the top six women named in 2010 is identical to 2009, with Sarah Palin, Oprah Winfrey, Michelle Obama, Condoleezza Rice, and Queen Elizabeth following Clinton.

Clinton has dominated the Most Admired Woman title for most of the past two decades, earning 15 No. 1 rankings since her first appearance on the list in 1992. She joins Eleanor Roosevelt and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis as first ladies whose strong popularity has extended well beyond her husband’s presidency, although, given Clinton’s post-White House political career, perhaps for different reasons.

Historically, first ladies have figured prominently on the list, typically appearing in the top three at some point during their White House tenure. However, they are much less likely than presidents to win the top spot. First ladies who have succeeded in placing first include Clinton, with six No. 1 rankings in Bill Clinton’s two terms as president; Nancy Reagan, who achieved it three times in Ronald Reagan’s two terms; Barbara Bush, who achieved it twice in her husband’s single term; and Rosalynn Carter, who tied for or placed first in three years during her husband’s single term. No first lady has won the top overall ranking since Laura Bush in 2001.

Thus far as first lady, Obama, like Laura Bush for most of her husband’s presidency, has not garnered high mentions as Most Admired Woman. Her single-digit performances on the list since Barack Obama took office are on the low side for other first ladies since Carter at this point in their husband’s first term.

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You might have noticed that this poll seems kinda inconsistent with many other polls, such as the ones showing Bill Clinton with a higher approval rating than Obama.

I suspect it has to do with the nature of the poll. In the approval rating polls they ask people about a specific person. In this poll they ask them to name the person they most admire.

Anyone who watched Jay Leno knows that when you ask people open-ended questions like that many of them get brain farts. Naming the current president is an easy escape because they can remember his name.

Hillary’s ranking is revealing in that respect because as SoS she hasn’t been on television and in the news all that much the past two years. OTOH, Michelle Obama’s “Eat Your Veggies” campaign doesn’t seem to have earned her much admiration. Even Democrats preferred Oprah to Michelle.

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