A single woman has made it into a list of the top ten greatest Americans, chosen by television viewers: Oprah Winfrey. The daytime television queen features ahead of figures such as Albert Einstein and Thomas Edison, who failed to make the top rank.
Top of the 25-strong list is Ronald Reagan, the former President who died last year aged 93. Supporters credit Reagan, who served two terms as President, with winning the Cold War, overseeing an era of prolonged economic growth and restoring American morale after the demoralising effects of the Vietnam War.
President Bush is in sixth place, with his predecessor, Bill Clinton, in seventh. Abraham Lincoln, who saved the American union from breaking up during the Civil War, comes second, one place ahead of Martin Luther King, the assassinated civil rights leader. George Washington, the first US President, is in fourth place.
Another current hero, the cyclist Lance Armstrong, who is about to open his quest for a seventh consecutive Tour de France victory after beating cancer, is in 20th place. He is the top sporting star, one place ahead of Muhammad Ali.
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Other noted US luminaries failing to make the top ten include Walt Disney and Bill Gates. The poll was organised by the Discovery Channel and AOL.