When Americans were asked whom they admired enough to call their No. 1 hero, the majority of respondents answered “President Obama.”
In the new online Harris poll, citizens chose Jesus Christ as No. 2, followed by Martin Luther King.
Others in the top ten, in descending order, were Ronald Reagan, George W. Bush, Abraham Lincoln, John McCain, John F. Kennedy, Chesley Sullenberger and Mother Teresa, according to Harris Interactive.
The 2,634 respondents were not provided a list of names. Americans named their heroes spontaneously.
When asked to explain their choice of heroes, most responded with the following:
- Doing what’s right regardless of personal consequences: 89 percent
- Not giving up until the goal is accomplished: 83 percent
- Doing more than what other people expect of them: 82 percent
- Overcoming adversity: 81 percent
- Staying level-headed in a crisis: 81 percent
The same question was also asked in 2001 – except, in that year, Jesus Christ was the No. 1 answer. He was most often followed by Martin Luther King, Colin Powell, John F. Kennedy and Mother Teresa.
The individuals who advanced the most on the list since 2001, apart from Obama, were:
- George W. Bush was rated only 19th in July 2001, when he had been president for six months, and is now number 5 on the list.
- John McCain, who was not in the top 20 in 2001, is now number 7.
- Chesley Sullenberger, the pilot who landed his jet safely in the Hudson River, is ranked number 9.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton now ranks higher on the list, at No. 12, than husband former President Bill Clinton, at No. 16.
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