It’s a good thing Barack Obama won’t be running against ‘Generic Republican Candidate’ in 2012.

Gallup typically uses this question format when a president is seeking re-election but his likely opponent is unknown, as was the case in 1991-1992 and 2003-2004, when incumbents George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush, respectively, were seeking re-election.

For balance, they should also ask who wins if Barack Obama runs against “Whacked-Out Republican Candidate.”