Michelle Obama Named America’s Most Admired Woman In New Poll

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BY CAITLIN O’KANE

Former first lady Michelle Obama has been named America’s most admired woman of 2018, according to a Gallup poll. This is the first time in 17 years that someone other than Hillary Clinton was at the top of the list, according to Gallup. As for the most admired man, former President Barack Obama won for the 11th year in a row.The annual survey asks Americans to name the man and woman they admire most, living anywhere in the world. Mrs. Obama placed first, with 15 percent of people naming her, followed by Oprah Winfrey, who was mentioned 5 percent of the time. Hillary Clinton and Melania Trump followed with 4 percent mentioning each.

Gallup attributes the switch at the top of the women’s list to the fact that Clinton “more fully retreated to private life after a long career as first lady, U.S. senator, secretary of state and two-time presidential candidate.” Michelle Obama is currently touring the U.S. to promote her best-selling autobiography, “Becoming,” putting her back in the spotlight despite the fact that her role as first lady is over.

Queen Elizabeth also made the top 10 for a record 50th time. Other world leaders, activists, entertainers and one Supreme Court justice rounded out the list.

Gallup Poll: Most Admired Woman, 2018

Michelle Obama 15% mentioned
Oprah Winfrey 5%
Hillary Clinton 4%
Melania Trump 4%
Queen Elizabeth 2%
Angela Merkel 2%
Ruth Bader Ginsburg 2%
Ellen DeGeneres 2%
Nikki Haley 1%
Malala Yousafzai 1%
Nancy Pelosi 1%

As for the most admired man, former President Barack Obama’s 11-year winning streak leaves him one first-place finish short of tying former WWII commander and President Dwight Eisenhower for the most times being most admired man, Gallup writes.

This year marks the 13th time since the poll began in 1946 that the incumbent president did not win. However, President Trump did make the list, coming in second, with 13 percent of people surveyed mentioning him.

Other former presidents, former presidential candidates, religious leaders and two American billionaires rounded out the list of the top 10 most admired men.

Gallup Poll: Most Admired Man, 2018

Barack Obama 19% mentioned
Donald Trump 13%
George W. Bush 2%
Pope Francis 2%
Bill Gates 1%
Bernie Sanders 1%
Bill Clinton 1%
Dalai Lama 1%
Joe Biden 1%
Elon Musk 1%
Mike Pence 1%