According to a Gallup survey of 1,019 adults aged 18 and older and living in all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia, Thomas S, Monson, President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is considered the tenth most admired man in America. The survey was taken from December 15-18, and according to the Deseret News, there was no name-prompting by the pollster. KSL news video embedded below:
While a sitting LDS president has made previous lists, this is the first time that one has cracked the top ten. It's a significant accomplishment for a church whose membership constitutes only about two percent of the American population, and the publicity afforded the LDS Church by the Presidential candidacies of Mitt Romney and Jon Huntsman Jr. may have been enough to nudge President Monson into the top ten.
Two other religious leaders made the top ten; Rev. Billy Graham at number four, and Pope Benedict XVI at number eight. Disturbingly, there are two serial adulterers on the list; Bill Clinton at number three, and Newt Gingrich at number six (it is believed both are now faithful to their spouses). The fact that some Americans would express admiration for serial adulterers does not speak well of their character. At least Bill and Hillary Clinton had the guts to stay together and work through it, though, unlike Gingrich.
The final topline published separately by Gallup shows all 41 people who made the list. Other LDS figures named included Mitt Romney at number 13, Glenn Beck at number 22, and the late Gordon B. Hinckley at number 39.
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