Tom Hanks has the confidence of a nation after topping the Reader’s Digest list of “100 Most Trusted People In America.” The family magazine released the results on Tuesday that saw Hanks edge out Sandra Bullock with 65 percent of people saying they trust him more than anyone else in the United States.
Bullock finished second as the highest women on the list while Denzel Washington was just behind in third. Meryl Streep and poet Maya Angelou came in at fourth and fifth respectively.
Not one politician made the top ten as director Steven Spielberg placed sixth followed by Microsoft guru Bill Gates. The oddest member of the ten most trusted people in America comes in at number seven with TV host Alex Trebeck. Philanthropist Melinda Gates and actress Julia Roberts rounded out the top ten.
Ironically, Michelle Obama is trusted more than her husband and the current United States’ President Barack Obama. An average of 54 percent of people have trust in Michelle while only 45 percent trust the President. Colin Powell and Hillary Clinton also finished higher than Barack Obama.
America has also shown their confidence in doctors, most notably those on television. Mehmet Oz and Sanjay Gupta both ended in the top quarter of the list. TV personalities also fared well and Robin Roberts of “Good Morning America” was highest at 56 percent, making her the most trusted woman on television.
Ellen DeGeneres, the openly-gay host of her self-titled show, jumped to 18th place on the list. The highest active athlete was Peyton Manning who came in at 29th, though retired football coach Tony Dungy finished 21st.
The list kept its focus on public figures and left personal connections like your local doctor or teacher out of contention though the categories were polled. The results still managed to prove that the majority of Americans trust people they know over celebrities or anyone in the public’s eye.
Personal doctors received the highest trust rating at 77 percent while teachers were credited with 66 percent.
Nevertheless, Tom Hanks is the most trusted public figure in America. The 56-year-old actor and director has regularly been known as one of the most respectable people in the movie business.
His influence quickly became apparent after he rose to stardom in the mid- to late-80’s and hes had America’s public by his side ever since.
Do you trust Tom Hanks more than any other public figure? If not, who would you have on your list?
[Image via Tom Sorensen]