The point is that the President has opted to issue a veto threat on a project that is popular with many. He issued that veto threat with the new congress having been sworn in less than two hours. This is after he stated that he wanted to work with the new congress. The Canadians are going to get their oil to market. It's merely a question of whether it goes by truck, rail or pipeline. One of these three creates jobs. Even the unions who are stedfast supporters of democrats are on board with this project.
As these issues that passed the House but got stalled in the Senate of the last congress start passing and coming to the President's desk, he is going to be putting democrats in the difficult position of having to decide to vote in favor of overturning those vetoes or upsetting the voters. President Obama isn't able to run for another term, the senators and representatives are.
Another note is that the bill has sixty co-sponsors in the Senate eliminating any chance of a filibuster. It's going to a vote and it will pass.