(Feb. 21) - Whom do you admire enough to call a hero?
That was the simple question posed to a cross-section of Americans by The Harris Poll in mid-January. When it was first done in 2001, Jesus was named more than any other person. This year, President Barack Obama topped the list.
Each respondent's answer was spontaneous -- no list of people to choose from was given to those surveyed.
Five of the top 10 heroes named most by Americans were presidents. George W. Bush, who was ranked 19 in 2001, after serving six months in office, moved up to number five on this year's list.
Mother Teresa was the only female who made the top 10 and she was among six on the list who are no longer alive.
The big surprise among Americans' most popular heroes was the emergence of Chesley Sullenberger, the pilot who famously landed a damaged US Airways jet in the Hudson River last month. He beat out the likes of some very impressive figures: God (No. 11), Hillary Clinton (No. 12), Mahatma Gandhi (No. 15), George Washington (No. 16), Oprah Winfrey (No. 20), and Sarah Palin (No. 21).
Click through the photos below to see Americans' top 10 heroes and then let us know who you would choose. The full list is here (pdf).
Then check out the gallery at the bottom for a look at the greatest U.S. presidents -- according to a panel of writers who focus on US politics and foreign affairs at the Times, a British publication.
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