A new YouGov survey has found that the two titans of the Democratic Party, President Obama and former Sec. of State Hillary Clinton, have been named the most admired man and woman in the United States.
Here are the top 15 most admired men and women in the United States via YouGov:
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None of the top contenders for the Republican presidential nomination made the list. There was no sign of Jeb Bush, Chris Christie, or Rand Paul. Instead, the top Republican presidential candidate was Ben Carson at number nine on the men’s list and Sarah Palin in tenth among women. On the Democratic side, Bill Clinton was the fourth most admired man, and Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) was the sixth most admired woman. First Lady Michelle Obama was third among women. Former Sec. of State Condi Rice was fourth, and former First Lady Barbara Bush was eleventh. Former President George W. Bush was fifth, and 2012 GOP nominee Mitt Romney was thirteenth on the men’s list.
The list was compiled by asking respondents two questions. Who do you most admire, and who do you truly admire? From a political point of view, this poll demonstrates the power of Clinton name. Bill and Hillary Clinton have a strong brand and powerful legacy to run on. Their years of supporting President Obama have smoothed over what remains of the divide from the 2008 primary and have established former Sec. Clinton as the dominant frontrunner in the Democratic Party.
On the Republican side, the fact that they couldn’t place a single active politician from their party in the top ten of either category illustrates the degree of damage that has been done to the GOP brand. For Republicans, the list is full of has-beens, (George W. Bush, Sarah Palin, Mitt Romney, Condi Rice) and those that will never be (Ben Carson).
The years that Republicans have spent trying to drag down and damage both Obama and Clinton are looking like a waste of time. The president has survived years of attacks by his Republicans critics and has emerged with rising poll numbers and admired status. Republicans have been trying to attack former Sec. of State Clinton for years, and her status as a globally admired person remains as strong as ever.
Republicans have spent nearly seven years on the attack, but the current (President Obama) and future (former Sec. of State Clinton) leaders of the Democratic Party remain as strong as ever.
Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association
