Three religious leaders have earned a place on the 2010 Top 10 Most Admired Man list. This is an increase from the two who made it last year.
The Rev. Billy Graham and Pope Benedict XVI were both ranked tied sixth on the list, while the Dalai Lama also cracked the nod this year in tenth position in the annual open-ended poll conducted by USA Today/Gallup.
Graham has been in the top 10 list every year since 1955.
President Barack Obama remained in top position in the list, a position he has held from 2008 since he was elected. It is common for sitting presidents to top the poll as they have grabbed first place 52 out of the 64 times Gallup has compiled the list.
Obama’s position has slipped a little however as he went from 30% of Americans who named him tops in 2009 to only 22% this year. Nelson Mandela also routinely makes the list and did so again this year.
In the Most Admired Woman list, Hillary Clinton continued her dominance as she was named in the No 1 spot for the ninth consecutive year. She was followed by Sarah Palin, Oprah Winfrey, Michelle Obama, Condoleezza Rice, and Queen Elizabeth.