Michelle Obama is voted the woman most admired by Americans this year, according to Gallup poll

Dec 27, 2018

04:09 P.M.

For the first time, former First Lady Michelle Obama was named the most admired woman in the world by Americans.

After occupying the #1 slot for 17 years, former First Lady Hillary Clinton has been toppled from her pride of place on the Gallup's annual survey, published on December 27, 2018.

The women Americans most admire in the world is now former First Lady Michelle Obama, who is enjoying being #1 for the first time.

POLL TOPPLES HILLARY TO THIRD PLACE

Gallup has been conducting opinion polls since 1935, and the most popular are undoubtedly their Most Admired surveys.

The 2018 survey was an upset for Hillary Clinton, who fell from #1 to share the #3 slot with First Lady Melania Trump.

MICHELLE IS THE MOST ADMIRED IN 2018

Michelle has taken the honors for the first time, probably due to the publication of her memoirs "Becoming," in November 2018. The former First Lady has been touring extensively, and her book outsold Hillary's "Living History" in the first week on the shelves by a wide margin.

Queen Elizabeth has been voted into the top 10 for a record 50 years.

ANOTHER HABITUÉ STEALS SECOND

In second place in American hearts is Oprah Winfrey, who has been a constant presence in the Top 10 Most Admired Women for the last 31 years. Oprah has been in second place 14 times, but has yet to be #1.

NOTABLE LADIES ON THE LIST

The Top Ten list is a veritable who's who of notable women and includes the Queen of England. Queen Elizabeth has been voted into the top 10 for a record 50 years.

Joining her are German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, talk show host Ellen DeGeneres, former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley, human rights activist Malala Yousafzai and House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi.

Malaia, 21, is the youngest woman on the list by several decades. She is also the youngest Nobel laureate in history, having received the Nobel Peace Prize at the age of 17.

THE MOST ADMIRED MAN

While Michelle Obama was voted the most admired, her husband, former President Barack Obama, was not to be outdone.

Obama took the top male spot on the poll for the 11th consecutive year, relegating current President Donald Trump to second place.

Obama won for the first time while still president-elect, clocked in eight consecutive victories as president and two as former president. President Trump ranks second for the fourth year in a row.

In a related story, former U.S. Presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush were invited to deliver eulogies at Senator John McCain's funeral service.