Americans were split between former President Barack Obama and President Trump when listing their most admired man, but no one came close to Michelle Obama for the title of “most admired woman.”
A year-end poll, which was conducted by Gallup, found that an equal number of respondents listed Obama and Trump as their most admired man. Eighteen percent of respondents picked one of this decade’s presidents. No other man was able to bring in more than 2%. The top 10 included the politicians former President Jimmy Carter, Democratic Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, and Democratic California Rep. Adam Schiff; and businessmen Elon Musk, Bill Gates, and Warren Buffett. Two religious figures were also listed: Pope Francis and the Dalai Lama.
Trump’s position on the list grew to tie Barack Obama, who had maintained the lead for the past 12 years.
The former first lady, however, was the only woman to set herself apart in the list of “most admired women.” For the second year in a row, Michelle Obama topped the survey with 10% listing her, which had fallen slightly from 15% in 2018. The current first lady, Melania Trump, received the second-highest percentage with 5% choosing her. Oprah Winfrey, Hillary Clinton, and climate activist Greta Thunberg rounded out the top five names included, with each receiving 3%.
Obama’s popularity fueled her book tour for her memoir, Becoming. The former first lady filled stadiums throughout the United States. Tickets for the event sold for as much as $3,000.
