by Lauren Russell

Created on: April 04, 2007   Last Updated: January 02, 2010

Our society today is overwhelmed by the media. Television, radio and the Internet all flood us with information. Americans are more exposed to celebrity gossip and political news than ever before. Those in the position of influence have more ability to sway opinions of the American public than ever before through these media outlets. Here is a list of the five most influential people in America today.

5. Bill Clinton. Even after his presidency, Bill Clinton is so popular that our current president has called him in to stand behind him in press conferences after Katrina, just to show that Clinton is on his side. Not only that, but Clinton's wife is running for President, possibly making him the first man to be married to a President. He has already been President himself and many will vote for her simply to get him back in the White House. His popularity and influence continues to grow every day.

4. President George Bush. Whether you love him or hate him, George is the President. Everyone is listening to what he has to say and we are all bound to his opinions. After 9/11, George responded quickly and had the entire country behind him. Now he seems to be losing the popularity contest for his continued actions, but his decisions are still influencing millions of Americans every day. The decisions made by President Bush determines our political, economic and military future.

3. Howard Stern. This man's influence has been seriously under-estimated in the past. Howard Stern has the most popular radio show of all time and was paid over $300 million just to join Sirius radio. Since joining Sirius, his fan base has rapidly grown. In fact, Howard Stern has now made it is mission to bring down American Idol by encouraging his fans to vote for the worst contestant. So far, it is working and his pick has never been in the bottom-three of the competition, despite an obvious lack of talent. Howard Stern's influence may not be positive, but it is growing and he is not afraid to use it.

2. Bill Gates. This man continues to amaze us all in his new inventions and technological advances. While some may feel that Microsoft is an evil corporate giant, Bill Gates has worked very hard to build funding for charities and puts a lot of Microsoft money into those charities. He has even induced the largest contribution ever made to a charity, from Warren Buffet. This contribution has sparked a 'giving culture' among many Americans with contributions to charities on the rise since the date

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