Professional objects of admiration.

President Obama and Secretary of State Clinton are the most admired man and woman, according to a Gallup poll. The “big news” to come out of this poll, however, was that Tim Tebow finished higher in the poll than the Dalai Lama did. (Is it even fair to choose the Dalai Lama? After all, my understanding is that, if what he believes is true, he has to behave the way he does, that “there ain’t no other way, baby, he was born that way”.)

Personally, while I think Obama is doing a great job as President, I can think of lots of people I admire more than him. I have trouble really admiring any politician, because all politicians must present a likeable facade, and so it’s hard to really know what the actual person is like. Basically, a politician’s job is to be admired, or else his or her career will flounder. In other words, they have an incentive to make themselves seem admirable. Maybe I’m just being foolish, but in my mind that sort of cheapens it.

That’s where charisma comes in, of course; making people feel like they really know someone even when they don’t. And Obama is a tremendously charismatic man.

As for Tebow’s ranking, well, to me that’s just inexplicable. He’s not a great quarterback, and it’s not like his story is that remarkable. I suppose he must have charisma, as well.

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