Trumped: The Donald Ties the Pope as 2nd-Most Admired Man
Obama’s still tops, but a Gallup poll finds 5 percent of Americans equally esteem the pope and the billionaire rookie pol.
By Joseph P. Williams Having both accumulated the trappings of power in a hierarchical system – entourages, chauffeurs, private aircraft – the two personalities tied for second place as 2015's most esteemed man draw throngs of enthusiasts wherever they alight, faithful acolytes thirsting for their unique messages of redemption.Yet that's where the similarities between Pope Francis, the humble leader of the Catholic Church, and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump – co-runners-up in Gallup's polling measurement of the Most Admired Man living anywhere in the world – end.
Gallup's annual poll had no surprises at the top, where Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and President Barack Obama were named as the most admired people of this year. While poll respondents have chosen Obama as the most admired man for the eighth year in a row, Clinton set a "most admired woman" record with her 20th appearance in the leading slot.
Although Clinton and Obama each led this year's poll by significant margins – Obama garnered 17 percent in the poll, 12 points ahead of Trump and the Holy Father, while Clinton got 13 percent, 8 points ahead of teenage Pakistani activist Malala Yousafzai – "the percentage mentioning each as most admired is slightly lower than the percentages they have received in the past," according to a Gallup report accompanying the results.
"Across the eight times Obama has been most admired man, an average 23 percent of Americans have named him, while in the 20 times Clinton has been most admired woman, an average 16 percent have named her," the report said.
But the 5 percent tie between the glitzy and bombastic Trump, a billionaire who became famous largely for his acquisition of wealth, and the famously modest pope, who's practiced what he preaches about the evils of wealth and inequality by eschewing the papal apartments and ditching the custom Popemobile for a chauffeured Fiat , raised a few eyebrows.
Trump says he's the man to make America great again by getting tough with China, taking over for the "stupid people" in Washington and building a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border to keep desperate immigrants from entering the country illegally. It's a sharp contrast with the pontiff, who urged Europeans to take in Syrian refugees on humanitarian grounds, has framed global warming as a moral issue and, in a joint speech to Congress in September , pleaded for tolerance and unity in Washington to solve the world's problems.
"Trump's surprisingly strong and often controversial presidential campaign has made him a prominent news figure this year and, thus, top-of-mind for many Americans," according to Gallup. "This helps explain his strong showing when Gallup asks Americans, in an open-ended fashion, to name the man they admire most."
Gallup also notes Trump's been in the running for Most Admired Man before: "The successful businessman has finished in the top 10 four other times, including from 1988 through 1990 and in 2011," according to the release.
Given The Donald's propensity to trumpet his own success , his tie with the Holy Father is likely coming to a Trump stump speech pretty soon.
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It's not at all surprising that Barack and Hillary are at the top of the polls, even above the Pope. What is surprising is that the poll doesn't mention the man Trump admires most (besides himself of course) Vladimir Putin. Personally I think that if Trump gets the nomination he should have a Trump/Putin ticket, since he admires that murderous dictator Stalin wannabe so much. They make a beautiful couple.
Ridiculous fake poll!!
We all know that Obama is the absolute worst President in American history, so it is inconceivable that he be "most admired".
And Hillary? Benghazi ! ! ! ! ! !
These polls are meaningless. George Bush was the most admired man in the world in 2007.
Since 1975, the most admired man has always been the president or president elect with two exceptions for Pope John Paul II.
"Since 1975, the most admired man has always been the president or president elect with two exceptions for Pope John Paul II."
Yep, it doesn't seem to matter how bad the president is at the time either. (This is not just a jab at BO either, history dictates it.)
A Trump, Putin ticket. Now that would be interesting. With the size of their ego's they couldn't fit in the same room together.
Sooner or later, there would be a duel to settle the matter.
Or as Augurwell suggests, perhaps a Putin/Trump ticket. The only differences is one talks the talk (and talks and talks and talks), while sadly the other one walks the walk.
Sooner or later, there would be a duel to settle the matter.
My money is on Putin.
Is this a poll among Americans? Or the whole world?
It's worrisome enough that Americans may feel this way, but the whole world??? I think I'm gonna be sick...
It has to be just among Americans. I think the rest of the world pretty much thinks of Trump as a joke.
Yeah... I have to agree with them!
Ummm... No, Randy.
The rest of the world doesn't know he exists. They don't try to distinguish among crazy American politicians.
The BBC follows him closely. Their general tenor seems to suggest they think he's a nut who'll never be President. Which is almost certainly the case. They don't seem to pay much attention to the other Republicans though.
Oh, yes. News outlets know who he is.
Ordinary people... not so much. Just another among all those interchangeable crazy right-wing wackos...
I think the BO numbers alone answer that question.
Yep! He's number one!
The sitting President of the United States, and the Pope and someone like the Dalai Lama are always at the top of these polls. For Trump it will be a fleeting honor. He won't be there next year.
Don't blame me I voted for Hugh Hefner.
Thank you, Dean.
Take a bow.
Curtain call.