As expected, Bhutto’s assassination becomes a handy way for him and Maverick to try to push foreign policy back in front of primary voters. She appears here for a few seconds, in fact, a move McCain was either too tasteful or not canny enough to make. Rudy’s problem is that the more Mac gains, the less reason there is to support him: He was the hawk of choice when McCain was left for dead, but now that the latter’s back and enjoying goodwill for his support for the surge, what’s the argument for Rudy on this issue? The reasons to prefer him to McCain are domestic issues — although even there, it’s not an easy argument to make. He’s to McCain’s left on guns and abortion, and while he’s moderately better in paying lip service to border enforcement, McCain’s been paying some lip service there too lately. Any reason to believe Rudy would be some Tancredo-esque stalwart if elected? Fred might, but with any of the others you’re rolling the dice.

I think this is just his way of reminding the electorate that, yes, he’s still in the race and, yes, we still face a very serious threat and, yes, he’s been in the middle of one of those before and performed well. In the aftermath, at least. Still, an enjoyable ad insofar as it’s sure to drive the left into a screaming fit over “fearmongering.”

Update: The comments here should be fun.