11 most influential women of 2007

Carrie Underwood
Carrie Underwood's amazingly successful 2007 makes her star-studded American Idol days seem downright amateur. This year she won three American Music Awards, three Country Music Awards, two Grammys, and her sophomore album, Carnival Ride, hit No. 1 almost immediately upon release. It seemed she was in the headlines as much for her rumored love affairs as much as for her smash singles, but she handled the media storm with her usual bright smile and poise. The only way Carrie Underwood could be more popular is if each new song were broadcast directly into our minds while we sleep. Wait, did I leave the radio on last night?


Miley Cyrus
What did you dream of when you were 15? Starring in a No. 1 television show in which you play a cooler version of yourself, and your dad plays a cooler version of himself? Headlining a sold-out U.S. concert tour? Having your own fashion line and being spokeswoman for a really cute line of guitars? If you answered "yes" to all of the above, then you might have dreamed of being Miley Cyrus, star of The Disney Channel's hit Hannah Montana. Cyrus is the real-life daughter of country singer Billy Ray Cyrus (who plays her dad on the show), and other than a ticket-scalping scandal that threatens to shake her fan club, Miley's star is flying higher than Tinkerbell's.



Alice Temperley, Sarah Jessica Parker, Vera Wang, Erin Fetherston
First Martha Stewart catered to Kmart, now this. Fashion magazines are full of images of unbelievable-looking women wearing elegant clothes that cost unbelievable amounts of money. Until recently, all an ordinary dame could do was gaze longingly at the pictures and laugh at the price tags. But designers like Vera Wang, Erin Fetherston, Alice Temperley, and even Sarah Jessica Parker (her new line of clothes is really cute!) have turned the tables and started designing affordable lines for shops like Target, Kohl's and Steve & Barry's. It may not be world peace or the end of global warming, but who knows? A nation of happy, well-dressed women will go a long way toward making the world a better place.



"Obama Girl"
Last summer, a 21-year-old from Philadelphia named Leah Kauffman and a couple of her friends decided to write an R&B parody-tribute to Kauffman's favorite political candidate, Barack Obama. They cranked out the lyrics ("You're the best candidate … you'll get your head of state" - yowza), hired hottie Amber Lee Ettinger to lip-sync in a low-budget video, and posted it to YouTube. Within weeks, "Obama Girl" was mentioned in almost every major media outlet in America and the nation's young men began to use "universal health care" as a pickup line in bars. Who says politics is boring?


Tina Fey
Tina Fey is like that super-talented, super-smart, super-pretty girl you knew in high school who you really wanted to hate, but you just couldn't because she was also super-nice. Fey was head writer at Saturday Night Live for years, then used that experience as fodder to create the Emmy-winning show 30 Rock, in which she not only stars, but also writes and co-produces. Wearing three hats could make it hard for Fey, as the current Writers' Guild strike conflicts with her acting/producing roles. But just like that girl in high school, she seems to be keeping her integrity while not pissing too many people off. Now that's true talent.


Hillary Rodham Clinton
She's been stirring up controversy in Washington for more than a decade and shows no signs of stopping. This pioneering woman was the only first lady to be subpoenaed and the only first lady to be elected to the role of U.S. senator (New York). As senator she's been a power player in issues ranging from the war in Iraq to the resignation of Attorney General Alberto Gonzales. And now she's aiming to be the first female president of the United States, though a dance-off with Obama Girl may be required to secure the nomination. Will Bill become the nation's first husband?


Elisabeth Hasselbeck
She champions creationism and the war in Iraq. She's an outspoken critic of not only abortion but the morning-after pill. Barry Manilow won't appear on stage with her. Whoopi Goldberg and Rosie O'Donnell have heated arguments with her. She's Elisabeth Hasselbeck, conservative co-host of the wildly popular show The View. Many feel that she's a welcome representative of the Red State women who are so seldom heard in mainstream media. And then there are those who'd like to stuff a sock in her mouth. Love her or hate her, there's no denying that Elisabeth Hasselbeck is a voice to be reckoned with.


Padma Lakshmi
India-born model and actress Padma Lakshmi was named to People magazine's Most Beautiful People list in 2007, an honor that has as much to do with her accomplishments as her graceful and exotic appearance. This year the host of the hit TV show Top Chef released her second cookbook, Tangy, Tart, Hot, and Sweet. She also divorced her famous husband, writer Salman Rushdie. Of all the covers and articles Lakshmi has appeared in, her favorite is the cover of Newsweek. "It spoke of the serious impact of India on the world," she said, adding "I was thrilled." In fashion shoots and on TV, Lakshmi openly displays the large scar on her right arm, caused by a car accident when she was 14, making her seem refreshingly less self-conscious about her body than the typical supermodel.


Pat Summitt
With the University of Tennessee Lady Vols basketball coach, it's all about the numbers: 947 wins over a span of 33 years. A combined 26 Southeastern Conference (SEC) tournament and SEC regular season championships. Seven NCAA championship titles. Author of two books. First female college coach to earn more than $1 million a year. Coach of the No. 1 college women's basketball team in America in 2007. What do all those numbers add up to? An incredible, inspiring role model for women everywhere. In August, Summitt filed for divorce from her husband of 27 years, marking a new direction in life for one of America's true trail blazers.


Benazir Bhutto
Benazir Bhutto is the first woman to be elected to leadership of a post-colonial Muslim nation—and she's done it twice. Though this former prime minister of Pakistan has also been twice removed on charges of corruption, that doesn't make her less influential or impressive. She has headed the secular, liberal Pakistan People's Party (PPP) from exile for years, but returned to Pakistan in 2007 to run for prime minister a third time. Her policies typically stand in direct opposition to those of conservative President Pervez Musharraf, of whom she is an outspoken critic. She survived an assassination attempt in October and continues to persevere in dangerous political times. Bhutto is a walking example of the bumper-sticker motto, "Well-behaved women rarely make history."


J.K. Rowling
This bittersweet year marks the last time anyone will be able to enjoy that most delicious of treats: a new Harry Potter novel. Rowling's wizarding world has not so much influenced modern culture as grown roots deep into the heart of it. From new words (muggles) to new drinks (some fools make their own butterbeer from Michelob Light and butterscotch Schnapps) to a new generation of kids who (gasp) read for pleasure, Rowling's epic fantasy series has made a lasting impact on, well, just about all of us. Her revelation this fall that beloved Hogwarts headmaster Albus Dumbledore is gay created a stir among fans that was mostly applauded. Whatever project Rowling has in store next promises to be a hot seller, if not a future big-screen blockbuster.