We're starting to switch gears to 2009, but last year was a big one and 2008 is hardly a distant memory at this point. A Gallup poll asked Americans who they admired most in 2008 and the results are varied and interesting.
For the seventh year in a row, Hillary Clinton was ranked as the most admired woman, and Sarah Palin ousted second place incumbent Oprah Winfrey in the 2008 list. Barack Obama was voted the most admired man for the first time: In fact, Gallup notes that Obama is the first president-elect since Dwight Eisenhower in 1952 to top the list.
Most Admired Men, 2008
| Admired Person |
Percent of Vote |
| Barack Obama |
32 percent |
| George W. Bush |
5 percent |
| John McCain |
3 percent |
| Pope Benedict XVI |
2 percent |
| Rev. Billy Graham |
2 percent |
| Bill Clinton |
2 percent |
| Colin Powell |
2 percent |
| Nelson Mandela |
1 percent |
| Bill Gates |
1 percent |
| The Dalai Lama |
1 percent |
|
|
See the Most Admired Women of 2008 when you read more.
Most Admired Women, 2008
| Admired Person |
Percent of Vote |
| Hillary Clinton |
20 percent |
| Sarah Palin |
11 percent |
| Oprah Winfrey |
8 percent |
| Condoleezza Rice |
7 percent |
| Michelle Obama |
3 percent |
| Margaret Thatcher |
2 percent |
| Laura Bush |
2 percent |
| Angelina Jolie |
2 percent |
| Barbara Bush |
1 percent |
| Madeleine Albright |
1 percent |
| Ellen DeGeneres |
1 percent |
|
|
Source
yeah these boards are so far from representative of the sentiment of the country.
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