President Obama & Hillary Clinton Most Admired

[lakhota]

WASHINGTON — His party may have suffered a shellacking in November's elections, but President Obama remains the unchallenged champion on another front: For the third year in a row, he is by far the most-admired man.

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton continues an even longer run, ranked in the USA TODAY/Gallup Poll as the most-admired woman for the ninth straight year. Former Alaska governor Sarah Palin is second, as she was in 2009.

Despite Americans' unhappiness with the nation's politics, politicians dominate both lists. The top 10 men include not only the president but also three living former presidents. Obama, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton take the top three spots.

Among women, nine of the top 11 are connected to politics through public service, political activism or marriage.

"It's all about power," says Richard Slotkin, professor emeritus of American studies at Wesleyan University in Middletown, Conn. "When we think of importance, we think politically, that's really clear — with religion a close second, though Bill Gates beats out Pope Benedict. It's almost like a register of power."

Not on either top 10 list: a Supreme Court justice, senator or House member, athlete or scientist.

Conservative commentator Glenn Beck edges ahead of the Dalai Lama, who ranks 10th. Gates, a philanthropist and co-founder of Microsoft, stands just behind South African icon Nelson Mandela and just before Pope Benedict XVI.

Evangelist Billy Graham, tied for sixth, has made the top 10 every year the survey has been taken since 1955.

The top 11 women (three are tied for ninth place) counts four first ladies, including Michelle Obama in fourth place.

Celebrities Oprah Winfrey and Angelina Jolie, both of whom pursue charitable causes, are on the list. Three of the women are leaders from abroad: Queen Elizabeth and former prime minister Margaret Thatcher of Great Britain and democracy activist Aung San Suu Kyi of Burma.

Barack Obama's standing has fallen from the heady days after his election in 2008. That year, he was cited by 32%, a historic rating that trailed only Bush's percentage in the wake of the 9/11 terrorist attacks in 2001 and President Kennedy in 1961.

This year, Obama was named by 22%, and Bush was named by 5%.

Some of the findings reflect a partisan cast. Obama is named by almost half of Democrats but just 6% of Republicans. Bush is the most-admired man among Republicans, cited by 11%. Hillary Clinton is cited by nearly a third of Democrats but just 5% of Republicans. Palin is the most-admired woman among Republicans, at 26%.

Not everyone has a hero. Twenty-five percent declined to name a most-admired man, and 22% didn't name a most-admired woman. About one in 10 chose a friend or relative.

The Dec. 10-12 survey of 1,019 adults has a margin of error of +/–4 percentage points.

Is admiration a family affair? Three Bushes, two Obamas and two Clintons appear in the lists, which also include politicians, activists, religious figures, royalty and one actor.

Most admired man:

1. Barack Obama
2. George W. Bush
3. Bill Clinton
4. Nelson Mandela
5. Bill Gates
6. (tied) Pope Benedict XVI
6. (tied) Billy Graham
8. (tied) Jimmy Carter
8. (tied) Glenn Beck
10. The Dalai Lama

Most admired woman:

1. Hillary Clinton
2. Sarah Palin
3. Oprah Winfrey
4. Michelle Obama
5. Condoleezza Rice
6. Queen Elizabeth
7. Angelina Jolie
8. Margaret Thatcher
9. (tied) Aung San Suu Kyi
9. (tied) Laura Bush
9. (tied) Barbara Bush

Source: USA TODAY/Gallup Poll of 1,019 adults taken Dec. 10-12, 2010

www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2010-12-27-most-admired-poll_N.htm

[billisonboard]

Dec 30, 2010 3:26:38 GMT -5 @lakhota said:

...

This year, Obama was named by 22%, and Bush was named by 5%.

...

The Dec. 10-12 survey of 1,019 adults has a margin of error of +/–4 percentage points.

...

Source: USA TODAY/Gallup Poll of 1,019 adults taken Dec. 10-12, 2010

www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2010-12-27-most-admired-poll_N.htm

So former President Bush was second on the list with 5% in a poll with a plus or minus of 4% so he is most admired by maybe as many as 9% and as low as 1%. And what does that mean about those lower on the list who apparently were admired by less than 5%?

[ChiTownVenture]

what does that mean about those lower on the list who apparently were admired by less than 5%

It was a small sample 1,000+ people, 1% would be 10 people 5% 50 people. I think the results would have been different if more people would have been sampled.

[billisonboard]

Dec 30, 2010 9:01:20 GMT -5 ChiTownVenture said:

what does that mean about those lower on the list who apparently were admired by less than 5%

It was a small sample 1,000+ people, 1% would be 10 people 5% 50 people. I think the results would have been different if more people would have been sampled.

The science of polling says that the difference would have been plus or minus 4% from the results of the poll if you had asked the entire adult population.

[ChiTownVenture]

Dec 30, 2010 9:11:08 GMT -5 billisonboard said:

Dec 30, 2010 9:01:20 GMT -5 ChiTownVenture said:

The science of polling says that the difference would have been plus or minus 4% from the results of the poll if you had asked the entire adult population.

I get that I just don't agree in this case, there are other factors that I think would increase that percentage;

Not everyone has a hero. Twenty-five percent declined to name a most-admired man, and 22% didn't name a most-admired woman. About one in 10 chose a friend or relative.

Also was this a land line interview?

[ChiTownVenture]

FYI..

Like confidence intervals, the margin of error can be defined for any desired confidence level, but usually a level of 90%, 95% or 99% is chosen (typically 95%). This level is the probability that a margin of error around the reported percentage would include the "true" percentage. Along with the confidence level, the sample design for a survey, and in particular its sample size, determines the magnitude of the margin of error. A larger sample size produces a smaller margin of error, all else remaining equal.

If the exact confidence intervals are used, then the margin of error takes into account both sampling error and non-sampling error. If an approximate confidence interval is used (for example, by assuming the distribution is normal and then modeling the confidence interval accordingly), then the margin of error may only take random sampling error into account. It does not represent other potential sources of error or bias such as a non-representative sample-design, poorly phrased questions, people lying or refusing to respond, the exclusion of people who could not be contacted, or miscounts and miscalculations.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margin_of_error

[billisonboard]

"there are other factors that I think would increase that percentage;"

At least a thousand that would increase or decrease the percentage of any individual.

This poll, year after year, has to be one of the more absurd polls reported.

[burnsattornincan]

This is beautiful. A glimpse into the pitiful state of America. A socialist African and a proven pathological liar, one of the most conniving and manipulative women on earth being polled as most popular. What is there to hope for? Not a whole lot on the horizon.

[ed1066]

It's a pretty sad state of affairs, alright...

[floridayankee]

Dec 30, 2010 7:52:21 GMT -5 billisonboard said:

So former President Bush was second on the list with 5% in a poll with a plus or minus of 4% so he is most admired by maybe as many as 9% and as low as 1%.

I guess republicans are not as enamored with their "leaders" as democrats are.