GALLUP NEWS SERVICE
PRINCETON, NJ -- For the fifth consecutive year, George W. Bush
and Hillary Clinton are mentioned most often when Gallup asks the
public which man and woman, living anywhere in the world, they
admire most. The Reverend Billy Graham ranks among the top 10 most
admired men for a record 50th time.
For more than 50 years, Gallup has been asking the open-ended
most admired man and woman questions. This year's results are from
a Dec. 11-14, 2006 poll.
Most Admired Man
Bush tops the list of most admired men once again, being named
as such by 13% of Americans. Bush has rated as the most admired man
each of the six years he has been president. Former presidents Bill
Clinton and Jimmy Carter rank second and third on the list, with
Illinois Sen. Barack Obama, the Rev. Billy Graham, former Secretary
of State Colin Powell, Pope Benedict XVI, former South African
President Nelson Mandela, the elder George Bush, and Microsoft
chairman Bill Gates rounding out the top 10.
|
Most Admired Man, Dec. 11-14, 2006 Gallup
Poll
|
|
|
% Mentioning
|
Number of Top 10 Finishes
|
|
|
|
|
|
1
|
George W. Bush
|
13
|
7
|
|
2
|
Bill Clinton
|
5
|
15
|
|
3
|
Jimmy Carter
|
4
|
25
|
|
4
|
Barack Obama
|
3
|
1
|
|
5
|
(Reverend) Billy Graham
|
3
|
50
|
|
6
|
Colin Powell
|
2
|
15
|
|
7
|
Pope Benedict XVI
|
2
|
2
|
|
8
|
Nelson Mandela
|
1
|
15
|
|
George H.W. Bush
|
1
|
17
|
|
10
|
Bill Gates
|
1
|
8
|
George W. Bush's first place finish may seem unusual given his
job approval ratings are in the 30% range, but presidents usually
are the most admired men, having won the honor 49 of the 60 times
the question has been asked. The last time a sitting president was
not named most admired was 1980, when Pope John Paul II finished
ahead of Jimmy Carter (who had just been voted out of office).
Bush's flagging popularity is, however, evident in the fact that
the 13% who mention him as most admired man is the lowest of his
presidency, down from 19% last year and 23% or higher from 2001
through 2004.
Obama appears in the top 10 list for the first time this year,
and the elder Bush reappears in the top 10 for the first time since
1999.
Bono, Arizona Sen. John McCain, and the Dalai Lama fell out of
the top 10 this year. The latter two are among a large group of men
who were mentioned by at least 1% of Americans but did not make the
top 10 -- which is determined based on total mentions rather than
percentages. That list includes outgoing United Nations Secretary
General Kofi Annan, actor George Clooney, actor Mel Gibson, former
Vice President Al Gore, British Prime Minister Tony Blair, former
New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, California Gov. Arnold
Schwarzenegger, and the Rev. Jesse Jackson
Graham's appearance in the top 10 is his 50th. He has appeared
in the top 10 every year the poll has been asked since 1963, and
made his initial appearance in 1955. Ronald Reagan, with 31
appearances, has the second most all-time appearances for men,
while Queen Elizabeth's 40 top 10 appearances rank her the best
among women.
In addition to Graham, Carter (with 25 top 10 finishes), the
elder Bush (17), Bill Clinton (15), Powell (15), and Mandela (15)
are among this year's entrants who have frequently made the top
10.
Most Admired Woman
New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's first place finish as the
most admired woman is her 11th. She has finished first or second
each year since 1993, with the second place finishes coming in 1995
and 1996 (to Mother Teresa) and 2001 (to Laura Bush). Talk show
host Oprah Winfrey is second for the fifth year in a row, with
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice a close third and Laura Bush
fourth. These four women have comprised the top four each of the
past four years. Former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher,
actress and humanitarian Angelina Jolie, incoming Speaker of the
House Nancy Pelosi, former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright,
former first lady Barbara Bush, and author Maya Angelou round out
the top 10.
|
Most Admired Woman, Dec. 11-14, 2006
Gallup Poll
|
|
|
% Mentioning
|
Number of Top 10 Finishes
|
|
|
|
|
|
1
|
Hillary Rodham Clinton
|
13
|
15
|
|
2
|
Oprah Winfrey
|
9
|
19
|
|
3
|
Condoleezza Rice
|
8
|
6
|
|
4
|
Laura Bush
|
4
|
6
|
|
5
|
Margaret Thatcher
|
2
|
28
|
|
6
|
Angelina Jolie
|
2
|
2
|
|
7
|
Nancy Pelosi
|
1
|
1
|
|
Madeleine Albright
|
1
|
10
|
|
9
|
Barbara Bush
|
1
|
18
|
|
10
|
Maya Angelou
|
1
|
10
|
There has been slightly more change in the top 10 list for women
this year than there was for men, with Martha Stewart, Elizabeth
Dole, Sandra Day O'Connor, and Barbara Walters falling out of the
top 10 and Pelosi, Albright, and Bush joining. Dole, Walters, and
Queen Elizabeth all received at least 1% even though they did not
make the top 10 this year.
Pelosi's top 10 appearance is her first. Thatcher's 28th top 10
appearance ties her with Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis for the
second-most appearances of all-time among women, behind Queen
Elizabeth. Thatcher has ranked in the top 10 every year since 1979.
Winfrey makes the list for the 19th consecutive time since 1988,
while Bush (18), Clinton (15), Albright (10), and Angelou (10) have
also made 10 or more appearances.
While presidents have typically been named the most admired man,
the most admired woman has come from a more varied background,
although first ladies and former first ladies have figured
prominently. Of the 58 most admired women, 20 have been former
first ladies (which would increase to 25 depending on how Clinton's
last five years are classified), 18 have been sitting first ladies,
14 have been politicians (including Clinton's last five
appearances), and 6 have been humanitarians.
Responses Vary by Party, Gender
George W. Bush earns the distinction of most admired man with
almost no assistance from Democrats. Thirty-three percent of
Republicans and 8% of independents name him, but less than one-half
of one percent of Democrats do. Bill Clinton is the leading
vote-getter among Democrats, followed by Carter and Obama.
|
Choice of Most Admired Man, by
Party
|
|
Democrats
|
%
|
Independents
|
%
|
Republicans
|
%
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Bill Clinton
|
11
|
George W. Bush
|
8
|
George W. Bush
|
33
|
|
Barack Obama
|
6
|
Jimmy Carter
|
6
|
Billy Graham
|
6
|
|
Jimmy Carter
|
6
|
Bill Clinton
|
3
|
George H.W. Bush
|
4
|
|
Colin Powell
|
3
|
Billy Graham
|
3
|
Colin Powell
|
3
|
|
Nelson Mandela
|
3
|
Barack Obama
|
2
|
John McCain
|
2
|
Similarly, Hillary Clinton owes her distinction of most admired
woman to the help of Democrats (22%) and independents (13%), though
3% of Republicans also mention her. Condoleezza Rice and Laura Bush
rate as the top two choices for Republicans.
|
Choice of Most Admired Woman, by
Party
|
|
Democrats
|
%
|
Independents
|
%
|
Republicans
|
%
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Hillary Rodham Clinton
|
22
|
Hillary Rodham Clinton
|
13
|
Condoleezza Rice
|
16
|
|
Oprah Winfrey
|
8
|
Oprah Winfrey
|
12
|
Laura Bush
|
11
|
|
Condoleezza Rice
|
3
|
Condoleezza Rice
|
5
|
Oprah Winfrey
|
8
|
|
Nancy Pelosi
|
3
|
Laura Bush
|
3
|
Hillary Rodham Clinton
|
3
|
|
Madeleine Albright
|
3
|
Margaret Thatcher
|
1
|
Barbara Bush
|
3
|
Oprah Winfrey is much more likely to be mentioned as the most
admired woman by women than by men. Fifteen percent of women
mention Winfrey, compared with just 3% of men. Winfrey and Clinton
are the top two choices among women. Meanwhile, Clinton and Rice
are the top two choices among men. The results for most admired man
show little variation by gender.
|
Choice of Most Admired Woman, by
Gender
|
|
Men
|
%
|
Women
|
%
|
| |
|
|
|
|
Hillary Rodham Clinton
|
11
|
Oprah Winfrey
|
15
|
|
Condoleezza Rice
|
10
|
Hillary Rodham Clinton
|
14
|
|
Laura Bush
|
4
|
Condoleezza Rice
|
5
|
|
Oprah Winfrey
|
3
|
Laura Bush
|
5
|
|
Margaret Thatcher
|
3
|
Angelina Jolie
|
2
|
| |
|
Madeleine Albright
|
2
|
Survey Methods
These results are based on telephone interviews with a randomly
selected national sample of 1,010 adults, aged 18 and older,
conducted Dec. 11-14, 2006. For results based on this sample, one
can say with 95% confidence that the maximum error attributable to
sampling and other random effects is ±3 percentage points.
In addition to sampling error, question wording and practical
difficulties in conducting surveys can introduce error or bias into
the findings of public opinion polls.
1. What man that you have heard or read about, living today
in any part of the world, do you admire most? And who is your
second choice?
COMBINED FIRST AND SECOND CHOICES (Ranked according to
number of responses, 2006)
| |
|
Dec
2006
|
Dec
2005
|
Dec
2004
|
Dec
2003
|
Dec 2002
|
Dec 2001
|
Dec 2000
|
Dec 1999
|
Dec 1998
|
Dec 1997
|
Dec 1996
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1
|
George W. Bush
|
13
|
19
|
23
|
29
|
28
|
39
|
5
|
1
|
|
|
|
|
2
|
Bill Clinton
|
5
|
5
|
6
|
3
|
3
|
2
|
6
|
10
|
18
|
14
|
18
|
|
3
|
Jimmy Carter
|
4
|
3
|
4
|
1
|
9
|
1
|
1
|
3
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
|
4
|
Barack Obama
|
3
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
|
|
|
|
5
|
(Reverend) Billy Graham
|
3
|
2
|
3
|
2
|
2
|
2
|
4
|
7
|
5
|
6
|
6
|
|
6
|
Colin Powell
|
2
|
2
|
5
|
4
|
4
|
5
|
5
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
6
|
|
7
|
Pope Benedict XVI
|
2
|
3
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
|
|
|
|
8t
|
Nelson Mandela
|
1
|
2
|
2
|
2
|
1
|
1
|
3
|
4
|
2
|
3
|
3
|
|
8t
|
George H.W. Bush
|
1
|
1
|
*
|
*
|
*
|
1
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
3
|
3
|
|
10
|
Bill Gates
|
1
|
3
|
1
|
1
|
*
|
*
|
1
|
3
|
2
|
2
|
*
|
| |
Kofi Annan
|
1
|
*
|
*
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
--
|
--
|
|
|
|
| |
John McCain
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
*
|
*
|
*
|
--
|
1
|
|
|
|
| |
George Clooney
|
1
|
--
|
*
|
--
|
*
|
*
|
--
|
*
|
|
|
|
| |
Mel Gibson
|
1
|
*
|
1
|
--
|
*
|
*
|
--
|
--
|
|
|
1
|
| |
Al Gore
|
1
|
--
|
*
|
*
|
1
|
*
|
5
|
2
|
2
|
2
|
1
|
| |
Tony Blair
|
1
|
1
|
2
|
2
|
1
|
2
|
*
|
*
|
1
|
|
|
| |
Rudolph Giuliani
|
1
|
*
|
1
|
*
|
1
|
4
|
--
|
*
|
|
|
|
| |
Arnold Schwarzenegger
|
1
|
*
|
1
|
1
|
--
|
*
|
*
|
*
|
|
|
|
| |
Jesse Jackson
|
1
|
*
|
*
|
*
|
*
|
*
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
2
|
2
|
| |
Dalai Lama
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
*
|
1
|
1
|
|
|
|
| |
Bono
|
*
|
1
|
*
|
*
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
|
|
|
| |
Gordon B. Hinckley
|
*
|
1
|
*
|
1
|
*
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
|
|
|
| |
John Edwards
|
*
|
*
|
1
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
|
|
|
| |
Donald Trump
|
*
|
*
|
1
|
*
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
1
|
|
|
|
| |
Michael Jordan
|
*
|
*
|
*
|
--
|
*
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
4
|
2
|
3
|
| |
Rush Limbaugh
|
*
|
*
|
--
|
*
|
*
|
*
|
--
|
1
|
|
|
2
|
| |
John Kerry
|
--
|
*
|
2
|
*
|
*
|
*
|
--
|
--
|
|
|
|
| |
Norman Schwartzkopf
|
--
|
*
|
*
|
--
|
*
|
*
|
--
|
*
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
| |
Ross Perot
|
--
|
*
|
--
|
*
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
1
|
*
|
1
|
1
|
| |
Bob Dole
|
--
|
--
|
*
|
--
|
*
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
1
|
1
|
4
|
| |
Pope John Paul II
|
--
|
--
|
3
|
4
|
3
|
3
|
6
|
6
|
7
|
5
|
8
|
| |
Ronald Reagan
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
2
|
1
|
1
|
3
|
4
|
3
|
3
|
4
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Friend/Relative
|
7
|
6
|
3
|
4
|
4
|
3
|
5
|
10
|
12
|
10
|
11
|
| |
Other
|
21
|
25
|
20
|
24
|
21
|
17
|
26
|
25
|
34
|
31
|
33
|
| |
None/No opinion
|
29
|
27
|
24
|
25
|
27
|
22
|
33
|
25
|
29
|
34
|
27
|
|
* = Less than 0.5%
|
|
Contact Gallup for full trend, 1946-2006.
|
2. What woman that you have heard or read about, living
today in any part of the world, do you admire most? And who is your
second choice?
COMBINED FIRST AND SECOND CHOICES (Ranked according to
number of responses, 2006)
| |
|
Dec
2006
|
Dec
2005
|
Dec
2004
|
Dec
2003
|
Dec 2002
|
Dec 2001
|
Dec 2000
|
Dec 1999
|
Dec 1998
|
Dec 1997
|
Dec 1996
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1
|
Hillary Rodham Clinton
|
13
|
13
|
13
|
16
|
7
|
8
|
19
|
14
|
28
|
14
|
13
|
|
2
|
Oprah Winfrey
|
9
|
12
|
11
|
7
|
6
|
5
|
4
|
6
|
8
|
5
|
5
|
|
3
|
Condoleezza Rice
|
8
|
10
|
7
|
4
|
2
|
2
|
*
|
--
|
|
|
|
|
4
|
Laura Bush
|
4
|
4
|
8
|
6
|
6
|
12
|
*
|
--
|
|
|
|
|
5
|
Margaret Thatcher
|
2
|
3
|
3
|
2
|
3
|
2
|
4
|
4
|
4
|
5
|
4
|
|
6
|
Angelina Jolie
|
2
|
1
|
*
|
*
|
--
|
*
|
--
|
--
|
|
|
|
|
7t
|
Nancy Pelosi
|
1
|
*
|
--
|
*
|
*
|
*
|
--
|
--
|
|
|
|
|
7t
|
Madeleine Albright
|
1
|
*
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
3
|
3
|
3
|
4
|
2
|
|
9
|
Barbara Bush
|
1
|
*
|
2
|
3
|
3
|
3
|
2
|
3
|
3
|
5
|
6
|
|
10
|
Maya Angelou
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
*
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
2
|
2
|
|
| |
Queen Elizabeth
|
1
|
*
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
*
|
1
|
2
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
| |
Barbara Walters
|
1
|
1
|
*
|
*
|
1
|
1
|
*
|
1
|
|
|
|
| |
Elizabeth Dole
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
2
|
1
|
2
|
4
|
6
|
2
|
5
|
| |
Martha Stewart
|
*
|
1
|
1
|
*
|
*
|
*
|
*
|
--
|
|
|
|
| |
Sandra Day O'Connor
|
*
|
1
|
*
|
*
|
*
|
*
|
1
|
--
|
*
|
1
|
1
|
| |
Nancy Reagan
|
*
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
*
|
*
|
--
|
1
|
*
|
1
|
2
|
| |
Barbara Boxer
|
*
|
1
|
*
|
*
|
*
|
--
|
--
|
*
|
|
|
|
| |
Rosalynn Carter
|
*
|
*
|
*
|
*
|
1
|
*
|
*
|
*
|
*
|
*
|
1
|
| |
Wangari Maathai
|
--
|
--
|
1
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
|
|
|
| |
Halle Berry
|
--
|
--
|
1
|
--
|
*
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
|
|
|
| |
Janet Reno
|
--
|
--
|
*
|
--
|
*
|
*
|
*
|
*
|
1
|
1
|
|
| |
Barbra Streisand
|
*
|
--
|
--
|
*
|
*
|
*
|
*
|
*
|
*
|
1
|
1
|
| |
Mother Teresa
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
23
|
| |
Princess Diana
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
--
|
4
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Friend/Relative
|
6
|
8
|
8
|
9
|
7
|
4
|
8
|
12
|
13
|
13
|
16
|
| |
Other
|
21
|
18
|
18
|
22
|
24
|
21
|
25
|
22
|
27
|
24
|
28
|
| |
None/No opinion
|
30
|
29
|
27
|
31
|
28
|
40
|
34
|
33
|
29
|
34
|
25
|
|
* = Less than 0.5%
|
|
Contact Gallup for full trend, 1946-2006.
|
