Rising Gas Prices Have Dented Obama's Rating: Poll

[villager]

Source: ABC News

Rising Gas Prices Have Dented Obama's Rating: Poll


More than half of Americans for the first time expect Barack Obama to be re-elected - but that won't make it easy: Even as expectations have moved his way, rising gas prices have dented the president's rating on handling the economy, his overall job approval has slipped back under 50 percent and he's reverted to a dead heat in public preferences against Mitt Romney.

The results of the latest ABC News/Washington Post poll mark two political realities: One, the sharp division of public attitudes for and against Obama, with continued greater intensity of sentiment among his critics. And two, the damaging political effects of rising gasoline prices, which have surpassed the federal budget deficit as Obama's single weakest issue.

Americans by a broad 65-26 percent disapprove of how the president is handling the price of gas, which has gained 49 cents a gallon this year to an average $3.79. Strong critics outnumber strong approvers by nearly 4-1. And it's important: A vast 89 percent are concerned about the recent run-up in gas prices; 66 percent are "very" concerned about it.

The survey, produced for ABC by Langer Research Associates, shows a broader impact, underscoring the risk to Obama. His approval rating on handling the economy overall has lost 6 points in a month, to 38 percent, a mere 3 points from his career low in October. Intensity again is highly negative: Fifty percent strongly disapprove of the president's work on the economy, up 9 points to a new high in his presidency.

Challenging as that is for Obama, perceived weakness in his Republican opposition counteracts some of these views. Fifty-four percent of Americans now expect the president to win a second term, up by 8 points from January and by a sharp 17 points from October, before employment gains breathed new life into his then-dim prospects.

<snip>

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/election-expectations-move-obamas-way-yet-rising-gas-040142901--abc-news.html

[AllyCat]

1. But Dim Son can let them soar this high for weeks and he was just A-OK?

It would be great if we had some legislation that would speak to the speculation driving the price up. They are trying to make him fail and this is just one of their ways. Congress could help by putting some legislation in front of him, but with the worst do-nothing Congress in my memory, that is not likely to happen.

[orleans]

68. oh, i so agree about the speculators. n/t

[Jackpine Radical]

2. If ya don't like the gas prices, elect a Republican and they will change.

Look for $10 gas after the Republican gets us into a war with Iran & shipping through the Straits of Hormuz is shut down.

It is at least as sensible to blame the President for the weather as for day-to-day fluctuation in world gas prices. Moreso, maybe, because the government ought to be paying a lot more more attention to climate change.

[get the red out]

3. Exactly!!!!!

People worry a lot more about gas prices week to week than they do the underlying cause of the viscious storms that have been laying wasted to chunks of the country.

Elect a Republican, pay more at the pump, but with war and climate change you get to die a lot faster so you won't have to live with high gas prices as long.

[cosmicone]

4. Obama should start releasing the strategic reserves

or at least threaten to do so to make speculators flee.

[Kolesar]

5. His staff could "leak" that hint in off-the-record comments.

That will f##% with the speculators.

[TBF]

10. +1 nt

[MD20]

40. The Strategic Oil Reserve:

I believe Obama has tapped into the reserve at least once during his administration and I know GW Bush did in the aftermath of Katrina. Whether the oil used has been replenished or not , I cannot say. However, at full storage capacity, the SOR would last about a month. Nationalizing oil production and refinement, OTOH, would be the best weapon in Obama's arsenal. He might catch flak from the right and conservative democrats, but prices at the pump would plummet precipitously. Surely, provisions for this action already exists in contingency plans filed under the National Security heading. USE IT MR. PRESIDENT!

[cosmicone]

43. The fallacy in your argument is

that it assumes that the oil reserves would be the only source of petroleum. If that is the case, it will last only 34 days.

However, to beat the speculators, even a 3% increase in supply would bring the prices down substantially and burst the bubble.

At adding 3% per day, the reserves would last 34*100/3 = 1133 days.

There is no way the speculators can make any money with this additional supply and would fold long before the 1133 days are up in order to cut their losses.

[MD20]

48. Upon reflection

I digress to your more erudite assessment; but, with so much at stake, I doubt if that strategy would work if the Koch brothers and friends were to cut production to stay ahead of the curve. I still adhere to the National Security paradigm to stifle the robber oil barons and usurpers of the political process once and for all. Oil drives the economy, as you well know, so , to allow a small group of greedy, selfish tyrants to hold the nation hostage with it is a damn shame! That said, I also realize that some of my neighbors and friends are heavily invested in oil and are realizing considerable financial gains. From their perspective, Nationalization of Oil is not desirable; but, then again, neither is the premise you posited. The difference is that your solution is short term and will undoubtedly have to be repeated time and time again. My premise is more permanent and likely to become more entrenched as Americans start to enjoy the benefits of far cheaper gasoline. Automobile sales would likely skyrocket and goods and services would become more affordable as trucking costs plummet due to lower diesel prices.

[cosmicone]

65. I don't think Obama could survive

a radical move such as nationalizing anything.

If the goal is to win the election, we need to use a jeweler's hammer and not a sledgehammer, although the latter provides a quick and perhaps permanent fix.

[MD20]

75. That may be a risk he has to take!

Obama may not survive rising gas prices either. A bold move, such as Nationalization, should be one of his top options. The electorate isn't going to reject a man who undoubtedly is acting in the interest of the huddled masses...the same people who put him in office.
He isn't personally going to profit from such a move and people know that. It is time for Obama to strike a NEW DEAL of his own.

[cstanleytech]

66. They already tapped into them a bit it didnt get rid of the speculators.

The only way to get rid of them is to finally ban them but its not going to happen as those people are in the 1% and will do all they can to stop such laws from being set into place.
So in other words we better get used to being bent over the oil barrel because the cynic in me doesnt believe things will be changing for the good for most of us any time soon as far as gas prices go.

[GopperStopper2680]

6. Face it-Peak Oil isn't coming, it's HERE!

The gas prices are not Obama's fault. It's one of the best kept open secrets today that the world is running out of large crude oil deposits. It's running out. Flat. That's the scoop. The GOP can side step or deny the issue all they want but the fact is the jig is almost up. All the low fruit has been picked. Now, according to simple economics the less of a resource you have the more it will cost. The Arabs are beginning to drill off shore and more and more the petroleum monsters are starting to look at alternatives like Tar Sands and Natural Gas to replace the failing crude deposits. The prices are going to go up and the availability is going to go down and you could elect Rockafeller president and it wouldn't change a thing.

[MD20]

41. Really? How do you know?

Not to disparage anything you have said, it would be nice to have some references.

[DCBob]

44. speculators may be evil but they aren't stupid.

It more than Iran... imo. They know the numbers and they know shortages are coming and the price is going to go up.

[MD20]

52. Ohhhh! I see, da wittle bunny wabbit told you!

[DCBob]

53. ru drunk??

[FailureToCommunicate]

7. Greedy, unrepentant Wall Street speculators want to hang this on Pres Obama

and ward off any whiff of more regulation coming from the White House or Congress

“There is mounting evidence that the skyrocketing price of gas and oil has nothing to do with the fundamentals of supply and demand, and has everything to do with Wall Street firms that are artificially jacking up the price of oil in the energy futures markets,” Sanders wrote. “In other words, the same Wall Street speculators that caused the worst financial crisis since the 1930s through their greed, recklessness, and illegal behavior are ripping off the American people again by gambling that the price of oil and gas will continue to go up.”
--Bernie Sanders (from a year ago!)

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/04/29/bernie-sanders-demands-ac_n_855495.html

[CAPHAVOC]

8. I can understand 3 bucks a gallon.

Even 3.25. It starts to hurt my budget bad after that. Others are saying it might go down next month. I hope. I have to keep my total bills under 900 a month.

[girl gone mad]

33. Who appointed Geithner and re-appointed Bernanke?

Multiple rounds of quantitative easing + multiple rounds of bank bailouts + TBTF + no plan for Main Street growth = pouring fuel on Wall Street's speculative fires.

[newfie11]

9. We are exporting more oil than we are using

If there was a way to tax all that oil going out of country I think the prices would come down. Alas that will not happen as long as congress is paid for by big oil/corporations.

[Lasher]

14. No, we're not.

We are a net importer of crude oil. We are a net exporter of refined petroleum products. If you combine crude oil and refined products, imports are far greater than exports.

http://205.254.135.7/dnav/pet/pet_move_wkly_dc_NUS-Z00_mbblpd_w.htm

[bl968]

27. US Exporting Gasoline

Last edited Mon Mar 12, 2012, 02:17 PM - Edit history (1)

According to CNN in December...

The country exported 430,000 more barrels of gasoline a day than it imported in September, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. That is about twice the amount at the start of the year, and experts and industry insiders say the trend is here to stay.

The United States began exporting gas in late 2008. For decades prior, starting in 1960, the country used all the gas it produced here plus had to import gas from places in Europe.

http://money.cnn.com/2011/12/05/news/economy/gasoline_export/index.htm

Your own numbers back this up...

Exports

Total Crude Oil and Products
2,921 2,921 3,096 3,156 3,156 3,156 1991-2012
Crude Oil
37 37 37 37 37 37 1991-2012
Products
2,884 2,884 3,059 3,119 3,119 3,119 1991-2012
Finished Motor Gasoline
626 626 556 616 616 616 2010-2012
Kerosene-Type Jet Fuel
71 71 92 92 92 92 2010-2012
Distillate Fuel Oil
996 996 1,124 1,124 1,124 1,124 2010-2012
Residual Fuel Oil
381 381 420 420 420 420 2010-2012
Propane/Propylene
102 102 104 104 104 104 2010-2012
Other Oils
708 708 763 763 763 763 2010-2012

Net Imports

Total
8,387 7,580 7,514 8,031 7,723 7,348 1991-2012
Crude Oil
8,843 8,376 8,719 9,054 9,150 8,675 2001-2012
Products
-456 -796 -1,205 -1,023 -1,427 -1,327 2001-2012

So while we are importing crude, we are sending it right back out again as fuels.

A barrel of oil is 42 gallons. When the barrel is processed, you may get something like 15 gallons of gasoline, 9 gal. of fuel oil (See Gasoil / D2), 10 gal. of jet fuel (Kerosene) and 4 gal of other "heavy" products such as lubricants, grease, asphalt / bitumene and plastics and 4 gallons of lighter condensates/naphtha.

So as a fuel exporter, of course we will import more crude than we export

[Lasher]

74. The question was, are we exporting more oil than we are using?

Last edited Wed Mar 14, 2012, 06:43 AM - Edit history (1)

I say we are not exporting more oil than we are using. I think you disagree with me, is that correct?

You say we are sending our imported crude oil right back out again as fuels. Do you believe this applies to the entire net volume of our crude oil imports?

You have quoted a source you did not link, to list the quantities of products that are obtained from a barrel of oil. What is your point by including this? You seem to conclude that we are exporting all the fuel that we refine from all of our crude oil imports. Is that what you think?

[TBF]

11. Solution: nationalize the energy industry

I can hear all the heads exploding now ...

[MatthewStLouis]

12. What I love about right wing fantasy believers....

They say the free market should be left alone to solve all our problems. Gas prices go up, then they whine and moan that the President isn't doing enough to lower gas prices.

The right wing: we only love the "free market" when it's rigged in our favor.

[leftyohiolib]

13. stupid fucking brain dead americans

apparently the hard lesson wasnt hard enough. maybe they got to have round two of republican oppression before it sets into that atrophied mass between their deaf ears. im so sick of fighting the republican's greed. maybe the dems should elect r's to office maybe when millions are homeless and starving they'll begin to wake up. talk about useless eaters. uneducated+uniformed=american voters

[newspeak]

15. let's look at the gas prices before little boots was selected

I remember the presidential race between kerry and little boots. The gas prices came down a bit before the election. So, does the oil big wigs and wall street influence elections? It would be nice if the voters understood how corporate entities attempt to influence elections.

[Highway61]

58. Bingo!!!

I am SO sick of the ignorance. I am ready to give up. Did you see the poll in Miss. re: Obama NOT being a Christian but 52% believe he is Muslim??????? Case in point. Uneducated and too LAZY to read American voters.

[Smilo]

16. Maybe I sound paranoid, but this is

a conspiracy by the right wing extremists and the oil companies to bring Obama down. They know they can't get at him other ways, so they will go to America and say hey look what he has done - he alone is responsible for raising gas prices. Of course, they forget to mention if they were in office the price would be higher because we would be at war.

President Obama needs better advisers and he needs to come out swinging. Being Mr. Nice Guy (and he is) will not help him come November. To a large extent he needs to go after everything the GOPT throw at him and not just ignore and hope things go away.

[dixiegrrrrl]

22. A hint you might be right is found in this:

This Sat. there was write up in the NYTimes about Pres. Obama's stand on gas prices, he wanted to push for lower costs..see here:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/101472131

and NOW this ABC poll s dutifully reported, with emphasis on how unpopular the President is over gas prices.

If the poll had been commissioned by the Dem re-election Comm that would be one thing, but a poll BY ABC
FOR ABC reporting?

[MD20]

39. Conspiracy

I've held that belief for a long time. It ought to be obvious to any thinking American that the oil corporations are squeezing the public with high gas prices to oust Obama.

But, an axiomatic perspective is hindered by right wing talk show hosts who are paid big money to inculcate the working classes to redirect their thinking . Poll numbers show that strategy , to some degree, is working. With that kind of psychological operations in place, republican candidates take advantage of it in their campaign speeches. Still, I have grave doubts that the majority of people who elected Obama in the first place have forgotten how republican ideology has eaten away at democracy for years. I am confident the electorate will give president Obama a second term so that he can complete his repair mission. Any other option means social and economic suicide for the huddled masses.

[dmosh42]

17. By allowing non-users of crude to hold large amounts of holdings as speculators.....

the gov't has brought this on themselves.(biggest holders of crude by far=Goldman Sachs& Morgan Stanley per released records by Sen B. Sanders) They have these holdings for one purpose, and that is to manipulate the markets. Obama could make political points by asking congress to bar financial corp from being able to buy into these futures. For whatever reasons, he's letting the opportunity go, and the people can only get more pissed.

[Delphinus]

18. It bothers me greatly

that gas prices are the end all/be all of people's thinking. Yeah, I'm certainly not happy about the high gas prices, but there's a whole lot more to be voting about than that.

[treestar]

73. +1

If that article supports the idea that people polled are relating the two, then these are some pretty dumb people.

[dixiegrrrrl]

19. I am always suspicious of polls which are

produced by a news source which then reports on the results.
conflict of interest, given that we know MSM is mostly a propaganda source for the oligarchy that owns it.

[Robbins]

20. Gas Prices

They need to run ads showing Fox news In 2008 saying Bush had no control over gas prices when they went high.

Obama has actully Increased drilling.Of course the MSSM won't report this.

[Fearless]

21. If the president controlled OPEC... we wouldn't be in Iraq and threatening Iran. n/t

[obxhead]

23. I heard just yesterday how we should be proud of $5/gal gas because it's a sign of a strong economy.

That's right WTOP (DC news radio) claimed yesterday that it was better for gas to be $5/gal than $2/gal because it showed a strong economy.

Not a single mention of speculators driving costs, it was a straight propaganda message telling us to be proud of the cost of gas today.

[CAPHAVOC]

26. Nobody is that stupid

I hope.

[MD20]

42. Think again!

The very fact that the republican party hasn't been voted out of existence dashes your hopes. LOL

[taught_me_patience]

37. This is true

The next time gas is $2/gal, it will mean we are in a very serious recession or depression.

[obxhead]

69. Or it will mean we've stopped threatening the the entire ME stability.

[taught_me_patience]

71. Completely wrong

http://omrpublic.iea.org/

Please look at the oil supply and demand graphs... demand is exceeding supply and growing.

[sinkingfeeling]

24. Well in that case, wonder what they'd do if he suddenly nationalized the gasoline industry!

[MD20]

45. Read #40 for my response to this!

[totodeinhere]

25. Remember when gas prices skyrockted during GWB's term? The GOP said that it's not his fault. Forces

beyond his control were to blame. But now that prices are up again those same people are blaming Obama. Such hypocrisy.

[bl968]

28. Oil Speculation

http://thinkprogress.org/report/koch-oil-speculation/

In April, ThinkProgress caused a stir when we uncovered a series of Koch Industries corporate documents revealing the company’s role as an oil speculator. Like many oil companies, Koch uses legitimate hedging products to create price stability. However, the documents reveal that Koch is also participating in the unregulated derivatives markets as a financial player, buying and selling speculative products that are increasingly contributing to the skyrocketing price of oil. Excessive energy speculation today is at its highest levels ever, and even Goldman Sachs now admits that at least $27 of the price of crude oil is a result from reckless speculation rather than market fundamentals of supply and demand. Many experts interviewed by ThinkProgress argue that the figure is far higher, and out of control speculation has doubled the current price of crude oil.

It's not just Fuel Prices

Speculation Blamed for Global Food Price Weirdness

The link between commodity speculation and global food price weirdness just got stronger, and researchers warn that a new and potentially calamitous price bubble is imminent...

...In their their ideal form, commodity markets should contain “70 percent commercial hedgers and 30 percent speculators. The speculators are there to provide liquidity. In the summer of 2008, it was discovered that it’s now 70 percent speculation and 30 percent commercial,” said Michael Greenberger, former director of the CFTC’s Division of Trading and Markets. “Now reports are coming out that it’s 85 percent speculation and 15 percent commercial. You have markets dominated by people with no real interest in the economics of supply and demand, but who are taking advantage of bets authored by Wall Street that prices will go up.”

http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2012/03/speculation-food-prices/

Go read the both articles

[Iliyah]

29. Another issue which the goppers

are beating the hell out of which will backfire again on them. Their oil buddies are trying to force the hand into more drill baby drill and that fucked up keystone crap. They could care less about protecting Americans or America's economy nor environment, its all about money money money, power power power.

One thing that I guess they fail to realize, when we all go to heaven, hell or whatever, we all go empty handed.

[KamaAina]

30. The President has fuck-all to do with gas prices.

Whether it be Obama or Boosh**.

Speculators, however, do. And they have a vested interest in seeing Rmoney get elected.

[MD20]

46. Damn good point!

[chowder66]

31. They polled more republicans.....

more at link



http://www.thepeoplesview.net/2012/03/explaining-dip-obama-approval-rating.html

[FrenchieCat]

32. New Media Narrative starting today, Monday.....

I noticed it after watching 10 minutes of news television this morning.....

They are changing the narrative, and hope we don't notice how a poll
with more Republicans polled is what they are using as their driver.
Big media hopes that, as usual, the American Lemmings, will follow through
by disapproving of Pres. Obama if they hear that more people are disapproving....

Goal: To decrease Obama's approval rating for the time being.....
and help Republicans, since they do need so much help!

[Skraxx]

50. Yup

Repub puppet masters decided to use their resources to beat up Obama on gas prices.

[lib2DaBone]

34. Like it or not.. $4 gas is the line in the sand... point zero..

point zero.. where people have to decide between buying food and putting gas in their car.

This will devastate any improvement in the economy and will mean the Mr. Obama is finished.

[taught_me_patience]

35. Average price up $.50 is only $200 more per year for the ave. driver

10,000 miles/year/25mpg = 400G/year *$.50 = $200/year increased gas costs or $16.66/month more. This is hardly anything to get excited about.

[bl968]

51. poor

Except for the fact that to poor person $200 a year is a whole lot of money.

[CAPHAVOC]

57. Me too.

It also raises the price at the grocery store. Food is going through the roof. How convenient none of it counts in the official genuine government approved inflation rate.

[IamK]

63. most perople driver closer to 15K and have 2 cars in the family...

I get about 18-20mpg also, but that was my choice..

[Diclotican]

36. villager

villager

And still, the petrol price in the US, is far less than we on the other side of the atlantic are used too... Your "4 dollar a gallon" is a dream for most others......

But, if this is what give US another republican president - then good help us all

Diclotican

[bl968]

62. The real price of gas without speculation

Wanna know what the real price of gasoline should be? Just look at prices paid for Gasoline in oil producing countries.

Price per gallon of gas

Saudi Arabia Riyadh $0.91
Kuwait Kuwait City $0.78
Egypt Cairo $0.65
Nigeria Lagos $0.38
Venezuela Caracas $0.12

Lets give them an extra dollar per gallon for shipping costs prices are still massively higher than they should be.

[VPStoltz]

38. And all because the Recons won't tell the truth and the Prez can't tell the truth.

The U.S. is the world's biggest exported of refined fuel.
The big companies can make a greater profit by holding it back from us to sell to China.
We want to keep China happy so we have to go along with that lop-sided logic AND remember, the government can't get involved in private business decisions - ain't that right Newt, Mitt, Rick, and Goofy?

[high density]

47. How is Obama supposed to "handle the price of gas?"

An extra $.50 on the price of a gallon costs me about $5/week. Am I really supposed to be concerned about this? I pay more than that in interest to finance my car for a week.

[lib2DaBone]

54. Obvioudly you dont have the need to drive many miles to work....

In this economy.. many people are forced to drive 40-50-60 miles one way... just to work a low-paying job, minimum wage job.... trying to survive.

50 Cents a gallon IS a big deal my friend...

[high density]

59. My commute is four miles

And I rent, so if I have to pack up and move to be closer to a new job, I will.

At 100 miles a day and 25mpg, you're looking at $10 extra per week for $.50/gal... $520/year. That's cheaper than most cable TV options. Certainly we'd rather have people putting this money to use in a way other than lining the pockets of commodity speculators, but I am still not seeing the "big deal" or any feasible solution to it.

[mercymechap]

49. What do you expect

when Republicans/conservatives keep harping at it and blaming Obama, even though in 2008 they had all kinds of excuses why it wasn't Bush's fault and, 52% of Mississippians think Obama is Muslim and inter-racial marriages should be outlawed!

[lib2DaBone]

55. what it boils down to... is...... leadership

Where is the LEADERSHIP?

Where is the "vision" for our country?

Where is the road map for the future?

We are all latch-key citizens.. left on our own.. with no plan for betterment or what needs to be done? Energy..jobs..education?

Yes.. the Republicans have blocked everything.. agreed. But we have new wars in Yeman, Syria, Libyia, Quatar, and now Uganda has U.S.Troops and is ready to explode.

Mr. Obama should have focused on nation-building AT HOME.. but he didn't. I have apologized every which way for Mr. Obama.. up one side and down the other.

I know I will get flamed.. but sorry.. these are the facts and I didn't make them up... and I do not have to power to change them.

We need LEADERSHIP. Repblicans wont do it.. Mr. Obama wont do it.. so who will? (And dont say Ron Paul)

[CAPHAVOC]

60. I do not know

I guess it is every man for himself. Guess we will have to hit rock bottom again before anything changes. Eat Drink and be Merry?

[MD20]

56. Mr. President TEAR DOWN THIS MONOPOLISTIC WALL!

In the interest of National Security, I implore you to Nationalize the oil industry. Treachery reigns and enemies lurk behind the shield of patriotism, all the while chipping away at democracy. Stop them now, before their virulence has run its course and reduces the middle class to a distant memory.

[unkachuck]

61. you would think....

....a Saul Alinsky trained community organizer would be a little more proactive and little less chicken about taking on the crony-capitalists of the oil monopoly on behalf of his employer, the American people....

....to many with lowered expectations, Obamas' failure to vigorously pursue the crony-capitalists is his major sin and will more than likely cost him needed votes....this lack of fight and aggression have many believing that he is at best, an only okay president....

[MD20]

64. The unthinkable looms!

Call him what you may but Obama is the best hope for the average American. Lowered expectations or not, all that stands between absolute ruin and rule by oligarchy is that skinny guy in the White House. He was weakened by those of us who allowed the repug-nah-i can'ts to get control of the House. That's proof that apathy and wasted votes are not an option, fellow Americans. Solidarity is the guarantee for victory. We must empower our hero and give him a Congress that supports him. DO NOT forget the state of affairs that brought Obama to the forefront and victory. Losing sight of that is sheer madness considering the omnipresence of greedy wolves waiting... gathering 'round to finish devouring the wounded body of the middle class.

[sudopod]

67. People who do this are beyond dumb. nt

[Beacool]

70. Gas prices are something tangible that affect all citizens, even those who don't drive.

When the price of a barrel of oil goes up, so do the prices of gas at the pump, public transportation, and more importantly, the price of food. The cost of food and gasoline have been steadily increasing worldwide.

It may not affect some of us much, but there are many people who can barely scrape enough gas money to get to work and who may have to make the decision of whether to buy food or put gas in the tank. These are the working poor who are barely making it as it is. So yes, the price of gas will hurt any sitting president in an election year.

Personally, I'm already cringing at the increase in airline fares.

[DonCoquixote]

72. especially when

We know damn well that the oil companies will do their best to keep those prices high, all to avenge that Trans-Canada pipeline Bill Clinton came out for.