Los Angeles Times:
For President Bush, the capture of Saddam Hussein provides a huge short-term political boost. But its long-term impact during the coming campaign year will depend largely on its effect in Iraq....
Some experts believe that having Hussein in custody could cause problems for the Democrats if their presidential nominee is, like current front-runner Howard Dean, defined by opposition to the war....
(Brownstein writes that experts in both parties say it's possible that Bush will be able to run a classic "peace and prosperity" campaign, but adds the following.)
In fact, many uncertainties could still cause trouble. The depth of the recovery remains murky, and job growth remains slow enough that Bush still is on track to become the first president since Herbert Hoover to suffer a net loss of employment during his term.
After inheriting record budget surpluses, he is heading into the election carrying the weight of the largest budget deficits ever. And many of the benefits from the capture of Hussein could erode if violence and unrest persist in Iraq.
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/iraq/la-na-pol15dec15,1,6594084.story?coll=la-home-headlines