2634 Americans was asked who they admired enough to call a hero. President Obama came out on top, with Jesus in second place. This interactive Harris poll is heavy with politicians, and comes up with quite a spread. Obama in the top spot, Jesus in second and coming up in fifth place is none other than George W. Bush. God doesn’t even make the top ten, but having to make do with an 11th place. I guess action, and lots of it, speaks louder than words.

When asked what makes a hero, 89 % answered ‘doing the right thing regardless of personal consequences’. 83 % said ‘not giving up’ and ‘staying leve headed in a crisis’. Bush in fifth place? Seriously?

John McCain came seventh, snapping the spot before JFK with Mother Theresa in tenth. Hillary Clinton took the 13th, so she has got some work to do. Oprah, Sarah Palin and Condi Rice were all a bit further down, around about 20th.

The participants chose the names randomly instead of being given a list to chose from. The poll was conducted online between 12th and 19th January 2009. In the first Harris poll asking this question back in 2001, Jesus came in on top, followed by Martin Luther King, Colin Powell, JFK and Mother Theresa. This just shows that after 8 years of Bush, people are desperate for a new hero, even if it means knocking Jesus out of the top spot.