Will Benazir Bhutto assassination impact U.S. elections?

Shortly after the assassination of Benazir Bhutto, the first woman leader in a modern Islamic country, even before an official statement from the Bush administration, presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani released a statement before any other candidate bringing up the specter of the war on terrorism.

There obviously was some politicking going on here, and one wonders what impact the tragic events in Pakistan today will have on the elections, both the general election and the primary election.

Will the terrorist act reinforce the "climate of fear" that has prevailed since 9-11 and play into the hands of hawks both in the primary and general?

Those interested in moving toward peace and a stabilization of world relations will have to work extra hard in the coming days and months to insure that sound judgment prevails over raw emotion.

Barack Obama released this statement today after learning of the fateful events:

I am shocked and saddened by the death of Benazir Bhutto in this terrorist atrocity. She was a respected and resilient advocate for the democratic aspirations of the Pakistani people. We join with them in mourning her loss, and stand with them in their quest for democracy and against the terrorists who threaten the common security of the world.