Poll gives Obama edge over Romney on alien invasion

A poll has found that President Obama has a commanding lead over Mitt Romney on an issue that neither candidate has addressed with even a single policy speech: how they would handle an alien invasion.

National Geographic Channel found that nearly 65% of Americans surveyed said they believed that Obama was better able to handle an alien onslaught than the Republican presidential candidate. And no, that’s not the kind of alien from another country. It’s the green kind, with fangs and tentacles and maybe some slime dripping from its beak-like jaws.

The channel surveyed 1,114 Americans in late May to get their thoughts on all things alien in anticipation of the channel’s upcoming series “Chasing UFOs.” It even asked which superhero Americans would turn to first in the event of an alien invasion. (It’s the Hulk.)

Obama was particularly strong on the issue with women, with 68% saying they favor the president when it comes to dealing with flying saucers. And 61% of male respondents agreed. Obama also did well among Americans older than 65, with fully half of those surveyed casting their lot with him.

The eight-part “Chasing UFOs” series, which debuts June 29, follows three thrill-seekers across the country as they visit famous UFO hot spots (Roswell, N.M., is first on the list) in an attempt learn the truth. Finally, someone is looking for the truth.

Among other tidbits in the survey: Just over a third of respondents said they believe in UFOs, and more men than women said they would attempt to be friends with aliens. Over a quarter of respondents said they believed that “The X-Files” was Hollywood’s most realistic portrayal of an alien encounter.

With numbers like these, it’s going to be an interesting run-up to the election. Especially when it comes to the so-called October surprise. Watch the skies!

[For the Record, 1:11 p.m. June 27: A previous version of this post said 61% of women surveyed in a National Geographic Channel poll favored President Obama over Mitt Romney on the issue of an alien invasion. The figure is 68%.]

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