Former President Clinton Named PETA's 2010 Person of the Year
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Then-President Clinton leaves an Arkansas McDonald's, sans Big Mac, in this 1993 AP File Photo
Former President Bill Clinton enjoyed soaring approval ratings in the polls this year, but his popularity extends beyond voters to another vast demographic: the animal kingdom.
Animal rights advocacy group PETA this week announced that the former president is their 2010 Person of the Year, citing Clinton's humanitarianism and vegan diet.
Clinton is "renowned for his charisma and eloquence," PETA said in a press release. "Because he uses his influence to promote the benefits of following a vegan diet, PETA is pleased to name Bill Clinton its 2010 Person of the Year."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The former president, known for chowing down on Big Macs during his term in the Oval Office, reformed his meat-mongering ways after chest pains landed him in the hospital in February. The former president has had a history of heart trouble, undergoing quadruple bypass surgery in 2004.
He has publicly stated that he's felt healthier since swearing off meat and dairy foods, naming fruits, veggies, protein shakes, and the occasional helping of fish as the main components of his diet.
"By choosing a plant-based diet, President Clinton has spared the lives of nearly 200 animals a year and reduced his risk of cancer, strokes, and other diseases," PETA said.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}There is no word on how the plant lobby feels about the former president's dietary habits.