Former first lady tops current one in admired list.

[Tripper11]

Don't panic from the first sentence, the article gets better!

WASHINGTON — President Bush again ranks as the man most admired by Americans. But first lady Laura Bush came in third among women in the annual poll.

For the second year in a row, Democratic Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York was the most admired woman. The former first lady was the first or second choice of 16% in a USA TODAY/CNN/Gallup Poll. Her memoir, Living History, is a best seller this year. Last year, 7% chose her.

TV host Oprah Winfrey was second this year and in 2002. Laura Bush also was third last year. She placed first in 2001 after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

Presidents often top the men's list, but the first lady is not always the most admired woman. Clinton was first for six years of her husband's eight years in office and second in 1995 and 1996. Barbara Bush was most admired in the last two years of her husband's presidency. Nancy Reagan topped the list twice during her husband's eight-year tenure.

USA Today

[mikehiggins]

1. Good story but

I think you should have headed it with "Senator Hillary Clinton heads list of most admired women"

I think making it a runoff between two wives is somewhat demeaning to Senator Clinton's accomplishments in life other than marrying Bill.

I don't think being Bill CLinton's wife is the reason she is seen as a role model to emulate. I think her ability to overcome that is more likely.

Laura Bush is a very nice person but I'm surprised she scored that high. Other than being Dubya's wife there isn't a whole lot there.

[Tripper11]

2. LBN rules prevented me from changing headline

and I wanted people to see it, and not have it locked or tossed.

[underpants]

4. I really don't see what there is to admire

I don't mean this in an "attack all things Bush" type of way just that I don't really see here doing anything. There is a thread in LBN and the Lounge about how Laura doesn't talk to W about anything important as neither one really wants to hear or need to hear the others opinion, aside from seeming strange to me in a relationship way it seems strange that that was the only thing I could imagine her actually doing.

I get the feeling that those who responded to the poll and named her are of the same lot as the women who swoon over W and how good looking he is. I first heard about this in the campaign and it struck me as being a PR move to balance out Clinton's sex appeal (Apparently).

[lancdem]

6. I agree with you here

"I don't think being Bill Clinton's wife is the reason she is seen as a role model to emulate. I think her ability to overcome that is more likely." This is not a shot at Bill, but what I like most about Hillary is how she went from utter humiliation to being a woman with her own political career and a very bright future. I love that.

[aquart]

3. Would Laura have ranked higher if she'd taken the turkey trip?

How pissed is she that Condoleeza and George were "Just like a real couple"?

[Tripper11]

5. She takes the turkey trip everytime...

she becomes the "lump" beside Dim Son in bed.

[ScrewyRabbit]

7. Laura Bush is a doormat

The Rove handlers don't intend for her to appeal to women as a model of empowerment -- they want her to appeal to white MEN who like a good, submissive woman who "supports her man" by standing in the background (or not in the picture at all).

The fact that Hillary topped her in the poll is significant, I think, and positive. It says that most women aren't interested in the role Laura Bush projects.

[Malva Zebrina]

8. well I have to agree

she is deliberately kept subservient in very subtle ways--actually she is quite stupid and I think, an opportunist ready to ride the coatails of anyone who will support her. She really has no talent that she can rely upon to support herself--not according the lifestyle she has been living. She is just plain following orders from on high and that is obvious. She is a cardboard cutout and does not seem to care. I have no compassion for her--she pursued her wealth, knows which side of the bread is buttered, and is content to go along through life being "adored" as the subservient, rather dumbassed, woman.

She gets all sorts of rewards and perks for playing that role.

[ScrewyRabbit]

10. You hit it on the head

It's quite telling that she is RARELY on TV. I think I saw that she was being interviewed, like, once. I only watch TV in the evenings, but still...

[Sideways]

11. Laura Bush Is A Drug Addled Dip Shit With Really Bad Clothes

:wtf: has she ever done? NOTHING! Just like her fucking chimp ass husband. Losers and frauds hanging together. Perfect. These two need to be swept to the fucking curb post haste.

These vapid and vacuous twits are as worthless as tits on a boar.

[underpants]

12. Mary T seems to have suddenly joined the Navy

Wow!

Very funny and basically what I feel too.

[Sideways]

14. Undies I'm Navy All The Way

Dad is a retired flag officer and if Laura had been listening to me she never would have shown up in Buckingham Palace wearing a GD table cloth as a wrap.

As a svelte 5-9 size 6 with four children I take umbrage that this horrid lump ass of a woman couldn't stop chain smoking for ten minutes a day to get her cellulite riddled ass in shape.

Ac ck and please let me find my barf bag. It must be hidden under the table cloth and Laura's saddle bags. GASP.

[Ernesto]

16. My guess is her crowning glory would be

that her college grades were much better than the chimp's. (not that much of an achievment, of course).

[kskiska]

13. She quit her librarian job

the day she married *. That says a lot.

[DS1]

9. *slam* *burn* *people falling towards concrete*

*Boy, that Laura sure is an admirable person, wish I could be more like her*

Fucked. Up. Country.

[BiggJawn]

15. Hillary wears clothes. Laura wears sofa fabric...

"And now, we present for Spring 2004, the NEW Laura Bush Herculon Collection..."

Sharp clothes, sharp mind, it's no contest who's better. Laura is just a way for Chimpy to save on using the electric blankee.

[Deesh]

17. I wish that --

--Janis Joplin had topped the list of Most Admired Women.

She's long gone on the calendar now, but her voice on the stereo sounds really alive.

This year's top ten totalled can't match Janis.