Michelle Obama may no longer be the first lady, but Americans still cherish her over other political women.
A new Gallup poll released Thursday, Dec. 27 ,reveals Obama is the most admired woman by folks residing in the U.S. — more than her husband Barack Obama’s former political rival Hillary Clinton and the current first lady Melania Trump.
Former first lady Michelle Obama takes the stage at the SAP Center during her “Becoming” book tour stop in San Jose, Calif., on Friday, Dec. 14, 2018. Obama’s memoir was released on Nov. 13. (Anda Chu/Digital First Media/The Mercury News via Getty Images)
Americans chose Obama as the woman they admire the most when asked the open-ended question in their annual survey, which was conducted from Dec. 3-12 this year. It marks the first time that Obama has earned the top spot, which ended Clinton’s 17-year run as the most-liked woman.
Previously, Obama, who is currently making the rounds across the country promoting her memoir, “Becoming,” has finished second behind Clinton three times. This year, the Harvard Law alum won by a significant margin, with 15 percent of Americans listing her as their most-admired woman.
Obama’s pal Oprah Winfrey was a distant second, getting mentioned by 5 percent of those surveyed. Clinton, who first became America’s most admired woman during her husband Bill Clinton’s first presidential term in 1993, and Trump were mentioned by 4 percent of American poll takers. The former secretary of state landed in third place, and Trump came in at fourth place. Queen Elizabeth rounded out the top five with 2 percent of Americans mentioning her.
It’s worth noting that former President Obama was listed as the most admired man for the 11th year in a row, besting President Donald Trump.
Michelle Obama’s appeal has been major even after she left the White House last year. Frequently, talk of her running for president excites Americans, but she has made it clear she’s not interested in becoming the second Obama as commander-in-chief.
