Obama, Clinton lead Gallup poll for most admired

Whom would you choose, readers, if you could pick anyone?

Gallup recently asked Americans which man and woman they admired the most, and for the 10th year in a row, Former President Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton topped the list.

According to the Gallup poll, Obama came out in the lead with 17 percent, followed by President Donald Trump (14 percent), Pope Francis (3 percent), and the Rev. Billy Graham, John McCain and Elon Musk, who came in tied with 2 percent.

For the most admired woman title, Hillary Clinton had 9 percent, followed by Michelle Obama (7 percent), Oprah Winfrey (4 percent), Elizabeth Warren (3 percent), and Angela Merkel and Queen Elizabeth II, who both had 2 percent.

Gallup had some interesting findings along the way. While Clinton has held the title 22 times, more than anyone else, Gallup notes she also registered a personal low favorable rating. “This indicates she remains top of mind for enough people who like her to be named more than any other woman in response to the open-ended question, finishing ahead of some women who may be better liked overall but are not as prominent in people’s minds,” Gallup reports.

Also intriguing is the fact that a quarter of Americans surveyed could not name a man or a woman they admire most, while another nine percent name a relative or friend as the most admired man (and 13 percent do so for the most admired woman). It’s easy to understand how someone would choose a relative or friend, because oftentimes, those folks are our own personal heroes.

The Gallup poll used an open-ended question, without offering a list from which participants could choose. And that makes the results much more varied, as people select whoever is currently top of mind — making it all the more interesting that Obama and Clinton still lead the list, despite the fact that neither are in office.

The question, however, is an interesting one. Whom would you choose as the man and woman you admire the most, readers? And do you agree with the Gallup poll results?

Let us know! Share your thoughts online at www. YumaSun.com, or send us a Letter to the Editor at letters@yumasun.com.