(05/24/10) -

Americans Pick Hillary Clinton, Nancy Reagan as Best Recent First Ladies

Current First Lady Michelle Obama is highly popular, especially among women.

Current First Lady Michelle Obama is highly popular, especially among women.

Americans choose the wife of a Republican and a Democrat as the best two First Ladies since 1974, a new Angus Reid Public Opinion poll has found.

In the online survey of a representative national sample of 1,016 American adults, Nancy Reagan and Hillary Rodham Clinton top the list with 19 per cent each. They are followed by current First Lady Michelle Obama with 15 per cent and her predecessor Laura Bush with 12 per cent.

Barbara Bush, Rosalynn Carter, and Betty Ford all fall below the 10 per cent mark.

President Barack Obama’s wife Michelle holds a remarkable rating. Three-in-five Americans (60%) have a favorable opinion of the current First Lady (28% “very favorable”; 32 per cent “moderately favorable”).

The poll has also found that most people across the country (59%) feel it is important for First Ladies to focus on promoting certain causes during their period in the White House.

Conversely, about a third of respondents (34%) say this role attached to the First Lady’s office is not important to them.

Women v. Men

Notably, the most popular First Lady among American women is Michelle Obama with 20 per cent, followed by Hillary Rodham Clinton with 18 per cent, and Nancy Reagan with 14 per cent.

Male respondents are more likely to choose Nancy Reagan (24%), followed by Hillary Rodham Clinton (20%), and Laura Bush (11%). Only eight per cent of American men pick Michelle Obama as the best First Lady since 1974.

Full Report, Detailed Tables and Methodology (PDF)

CONTACT:

Mario Canseco, Vice President, Public Affairs
+877 730 3570
mario.canseco@angus-reid.com

Methodology: From May 13 to May 14, 2010, Angus Reid Public Opinion conducted an online survey among 1,016 American adults who are Springboard America panelists. The margin of error—which measures sampling variability—is +/- 3.1%. The results have been statistically weighted according to the most current education, age, gender and region Census data to ensure a sample representative of the entire adult population of the United States.