Poll: Obama is man Americans admire most

[Teacher Mark 53]

USA TODAY/GALLUP POLL

What man living today do you admire most?

1. Barack Obama 32%

2. George W. Bush 5%

3. John McCain 3%

4. Pope Benedict XVI* 2%

Billy Graham 2%

Bill Clinton 2%

What woman living today do you admire most?

1. Hillary Clinton 20%

2. Sarah Palin 11%

3. Oprah Winfrey 8%

4. Condoleezza Rice 7%

5. Michelle Obama 3%

Source: USA TODAY/Gallup Poll of 1,008 adults taken by landline and cellphone Dec. 12-14. First and second choices combined. Margin of error +/3 percentage points.

* Three-way tie.

By Susan Page, USA TODAY

WASHINGTON — A month before his inauguration, Americans choose Barack Obama as the man they admire most in the world, according to a new USA TODAY/Gallup Poll. It's the first time a president-elect has topped the annual survey in more than a half-century.

President Bush falls to a distant second after seven years as the most-admired man.

Hillary Rodham Clinton leads the list of most-admired woman, a spot she's held for 13 of the past 16 years — as first lady, then New York senator and now Obama's designate for secretary of State. A newcomer is second: Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, who wasn't well-known nationally until Republican presidential candidate John McCain chose her as his running mate in August.

The findings, a snapshot of public opinion at the end of a tumultuous year, reflect soaring expectations for an incoming president who will take over daunting economic challenges on Jan. 20.

"Things are down so much at the end of 2008 and the end of Bush's administration … and Obama represents a new beginning and some hope and anticipation that things can get better," says James McPherson, a Pulitzer Prize-winning historian and editor of 'To the Best of My Ability:' The American Presidents.

FIND MORE STORIES IN: Washington | George W. Bush | Barack Obama | New York | John McCain | Bill Clinton | Condoleezza Rice | Sarah Palin | Oprah Winfrey | Pope Benedict XVI | Michelle Obama | Harry Truman | Presidents | Billy Graham | Pulitzer Prize-winning | James McPherson

That could be a "two-edged sword," McPherson adds. "High hopes are bound to be disappointed in some degree," he says, "but it also gives him a honeymoon period which is one of real opportunity for him to try to get things done because he'll have a lot of support and a lot of good will."

One-third of Americans call Obama their first or second choice for most-admired man. The only higher support for a man in the history of the survey was Bush's 39% rating in 2001, months after the 9/11 attacks on New York and Washington.

The survey of 1,008 adults, taken by landline and cellphone Dec. 12-14, has an error margin of +/—3 percentage points.

Among women, Michelle Obama is rated fifth, following talk-show host Oprah Winfrey at third and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice at fourth.

Among men, McCain is ranked third and three others tie for fourth: Pope Benedict XVI, the Rev. Billy Graham and former president Bill Clinton.

Obama's rise is matched by Bush's decline. The president's support has ebbed nearly every year since 2001, falling to 5% this year.

That matches the presidential low point reached by Harry Truman in 1952. Dwight Eisenhower scored first that year, the only other time a president-elect has led the list since Gallup began asking the question in 1948.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/2008...mire-poll_N.htm

President elect Barack Obama takes a group photo with Marines after his workout at the Kaneohe Bay Marine Corps Base in Kailua, Hawaii, on Monday.

By Lawrence Jackson, AP

Edited December 26, 2008 by Joe Six-Pack

[mox 298]

President Bush falls to a distant second after seven years as the most-admired man.

This was the most surprising for me. 7 years? I could see 4 or even 5. But 7. Wow.

Obama is riding a wave of popularity because people are anticipating big things, just as Bush had some pretty impressive numbers at the end of Clinton's presidency. I doubt his (Obama's) popularity will stay this high for more than 12-18 months, probably less if he can't get the economy under control quickly.

Edited December 26, 2008 by mox

[Teacher Mark 53]

President Bush falls to a distant second after seven years as the most-admired man.

This was the most surprising for me. 7 years? I could see 4 or even 5. But 7. Wow.

Obama is riding a wave of popularity because people are anticipating big things, just as Bush had some pretty impressive numbers at the end of Clinton's presidency. I doubt his (Obama's) popularity will stay this high for more than 12-18 months, probably less if he can't get the economy under control quickly.

I'm surprised by the Bush numbers as well and agree about Obama's numbers. This will also give the revisionists ammo. I have already heard a couple of wingnuts on the radio comparing Bish with Truman.

I can't believe I left this in there. Could one of you mods clean it up for me por favor?

FIND MORE STORIES IN: Washington | George W. Bush | Barack Obama | New York | John McCain | Bill Clinton | Condoleezza Rice | Sarah Palin | Oprah Winfrey | Pope Benedict XVI | Michelle Obama | Harry Truman | Presidents | Billy Graham | Pulitzer Prize-winning | James McPherson

[Otto 83]

I don't admire polititions...

[Teacher Mark 53]

I don't admire polititions...

O.K., I can't resist....What's a politition?

[mox 298]

I don't so much admire people as their actions.

[Nessa 23]

unless i answered the poll, it's worthless. who knows who answered it, probably a bunch of losers.

[Teacher Mark 53]

unless i answered the poll, it's worthless. who knows who answered it, probably a bunch of losers.

What, is Charles still sleeping and you're filling in for him?

[Otto 83]

I don't admire polititions ^politicians...

O.K., I can't resist....What's a politition ^politician?

Edited December 26, 2008 by Karin und Otto

[Teacher Mark 53]

I don't admire polititions ^politicians...

O.K., I can't resist....What's a politition ^politician?

[Teacher Mark 53]

unless i answered the poll, it's worthless. who knows who answered it, probably a bunch of losers.

What, is Charles still sleeping and you're filling in for him?

Never mind, I see he's awake now.

[Ban Hammer 12,829]

unless i answered the poll, it's worthless. who knows who answered it, probably a bunch of losers.

What, is Charles still sleeping and you're filling in for him?

Never mind, I see he's awake now.

i finally got a chance to get on the computer

[Teacher Mark 53]

unless i answered the poll, it's worthless. who knows who answered it, probably a bunch of losers.

What, is Charles still sleeping and you're filling in for him?

Never mind, I see he's awake now.

i finally got a chance to get on the computer

Nessa did a good job i your absence!

[Ban Hammer 12,829]

unless i answered the poll, it's worthless. who knows who answered it, probably a bunch of losers.

What, is Charles still sleeping and you're filling in for him?

Never mind, I see he's awake now.

i finally got a chance to get on the computer

Nessa did a good job i your absence!

i've trained her well.

[jundp 191]

Those choices suck.

Man/woman I most admire who are alive today? Bono and Ali Hewson. They do great work and she, at least, stays way under the radar. She doesn't flaunt her good works or ask for fame, she just does because it's the right thing to do. That, to me, is admirable.