Americans again this year name Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and President Barack Obama as the Most Admired Woman and Most Admired Man living in any part of the world. Clinton has been the Most Admired Woman each of the last 11 years, and Obama has been the Most Admired Man five years in a row. First lady Michelle Obama, Oprah Winfrey, and Condoleezza Rice are next in line behind Clinton on the Most Admired Woman list, while Nelson Mandela, Mitt Romney, Billy Graham, George W. Bush, and Pope Benedict XVI follow Obama as Most Admired Man.

These results are based on a Dec. 19-22 USA Today/Gallup poll. Gallup's "Most Admired" question is open-ended, asking Americans to name, without prompting, the man and the woman they most admire living in any part of the world. Gallup first asked Americans to name their Most Admired Man in 1946, and in 1948 expanded the question to both genders...

...This year, seven of those on the top 10 Most Admired Man list are from the world of U.S. government and politics: Obama, Romney, the two George Bushes, Bill Clinton, Ron Paul, and John McCain. One is from international politics -- Nelson Mandela -- and three are from religious vocations -- Billy Graham, Pope Benedict XVI, and the Dalai Lama.

Of the top 10 Most Admired women, four have been associated with U.S. government and politics (Clinton, Michelle Obama, Rice, and Sarah Palin), one with the entertainment world (Winfrey), two with international advocacy causes (Malala Yousafzai and Aung San Suu Kyi), one with international government (Margaret Thatcher), and two with royalty (Queen Elizabeth and Kate Middleton).

Most Admired Women - and % Mentioning

1. Hillary Clinton - 21%

2. Michelle Obama - 5%

3. Oprah Winfrey - 4%

4. Condoleeza Rice - 3%

5. Sarah Palin - 2%

6. Malala Yousafzai - 2%

7. Queen Elizabeth II - 2%

8. Margaret Thatcher - 2%

9. Aung San Suu Kyii - 1%

10. Kate Middleton - 1%

Most Admired Men - % mentioning

1. Barack Obama - 30%

2. Nelson Mandela - 3%

3. Mitt Romney - 2%

4. Billy Graham - 2%

5. George W. Bush - 2%

6. Pope Benedict - 2%

7. Bill Clinton- 1%

8. The Dali Lama - 1%

9. Tie: George H. W. Bush / John McCain / Ron Paul

And USA Today noted the following:

Although Gallup's Lydia Saad says their survey tracks admired individuals, not groups, 2% of those surveyed named the Connecticut teachers for "most admired woman." They may have been mindful of the deaths of six female staffers at Sandy Hook Elementary School, killed as they tried to protect their students...And on the "admired man" list, 2% of respondents placed "U.S. troops."