| Commentary |
| Most polls conducted in the United States show Republican frontrunner Mitt Romney and Democrat Barack Obama in a statistical tie in a hypothetical race for President in November 2012. This apparent reality does not seem to be affecting Democrat Party supporters of Barack Obama. The outcomes from question 2 and 3 also provide some interesting fodder for political pundits as this relates to the import of Canadian Tar Sands oil by the United States and potentially by China as well. |
| The highest number of respondents see Republican candidate Newt Gingrich as the “the toughest challenge to Barack Obama’s re-election in November 2012.” 90% of those respondents who selected Newt Gingrich as the “toughest challenge” in question 1 responded “No” to the Alberta Tar Sands pipeline in question 2 while 80% said “No” in question 3 to Prime Minister Stephen Harpers dealing oil from Alberta to both the United States and China. |
| Libertarian Ron Paul continues to show that he is not only the real deal in the race to win the Republican nomination – Democrats in this poll see him not only as a tough challenger – some even like him politically. (83% question 2) of those respondents who see Ron Paul as the toughest challenger also say “No” to the Oil pipeline – while (78% question 3) say “No”. |
| A lower majority (74%) of those respondents who see Republican front runner Mitt Romney as the toughest challenge to Barack Obama, while only (68%) say “No” in question 3. |
| (90%) of respondents who select Republican candidate Rich Santorum answer “No” in question 2, while (82%) answer “No” to question 3. |
| Only (38.5%) of Undecided from question 1 responded “No” to the Alberta pipeline in question 2, while (23.6%) of Undecided from question 1 are also Undecided in question 2. A whopping (68%) of Undecided from question 3 who are Undecided in question 1 answer “Yes” in question 3. |
| A convincing majority of Democrat (Barack Obama) supporters who see any one of the Republican candidates from question 1 as a ‘tough challenge’ are also far more inclined to be (a) against the TransCanada pipeline carrying Tar Sands oil from Alberta to Texas and to see Canada’s intention to sell this oil to China as well as the United States as against the United States strategic interests. |
| Respondents who assert their support for Barack Obama and who are Undecided and who do not select a Republican candidate response choice from question 1 are more inclined to support the pipeline and see the sale to China and the United States in the United States interest. |
| Barack Obama supporters see Newt Gingrich as the toughest challenger, however those who are Undecided (or all Other) from question 1 about the Republicans offered have a current viewpoint on the TransCanada pipeline more consistent with those respondents in this poll who support Barack Obama but see Mitt Romney as the “toughest challenger”. |
| With a pivotal vote for the Republican contenders coming up in South Carolina and Florida how much of the debate will be consumed by the Keystone pipeline issue, in light of the very important decision expected from U.S. President Barack Obama. |
| ROBBINS America Methodology - 811 of 852 Democrats who "voted for Barack Obama and who support him today" (95.1%). Respondents from: States of California, New York, Colorado and Florida (adjusted for gender by state and population). Question 1 features Republican response choices 'grossed up' to 100%. Poll conducted by ROBBINS America (and affiliates) January 8-14, 2012. Margin of error determined by sample base equal to the number of Americans who voted for Barack Obama in the 2008 U.S. Presidential election. |
| M.O.E. 3.44%, plus or minus @ 95% confidence. |
