On this day in 1856 Woodrow Wilson is born in Staunton, Virginia. Also on this day in 1973 Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn published the first of his three-volume The Gulag Archipelago in the original Russian in France. On to today's top election stories:

"Candidates' Foreign Policy Views Take on Added Significance After Bhutto's Death" (Thomas Beaumont, Des Moines Register) Unexpected events like the assassination of Benazir Bhutto could have profound consequences on a presidential election. Or they might not. Will foreign-policy candidates like John McCain and Joe Biden benefit or will less experienced candidates like Barack Obama and Mike Huckabee? We'll know in a week.

"McCain and Giuliani Point to Pakistan" (Juliet Eilperin, Washington Post) John McCain and Rudy Giuliani used Bhutto's assassination to remind voters of their credentials in battling Islamist terrorism, even pointing out their rivals' lack of experience.

"Obama Aide Ties Pakistan to Iraq War'" (Jeff Zeleny, New York Times) Barack Obama saw the assassination in a different way, as top campaign aide David Axelrod told reporters yesterday. Bhutto's death, he said, was the result of the instability and loss of focus created by the Iraq war. He also tied Hillary Clinton's decision to authorize the war as an example of failed judgment.

"Obama Catches Clinton in N.H.; Iowa Remains a 3-way Contest" (Janet Hook, Los Angeles Times) A new LAT/Bloomberg poll shows Obama leading Clinton in New Hampshire by two points, while also showing that the race in Iowa is a tie between him, Clinton and John Edwards. In light of Bhutto's assassination, however, the poll also found that most respondents consider Clinton better equipped to protect the country.

"Guiliani, Huckabee Battle in Florida" (Roberto Santiago, Phil Long, and Andres Amerikaner, Miami Herald) Both Giuliani and Huckabee campaigned in Florida yesterday, where the RCP Average shows a statistical tie between them. The state is important for Giuliani, who hopes to start a surge of primary victories there on Jan. 29 leading to Super Tuesday on Feb. 5. If Rudy can pull off a win there, it might stunt whatever momentum Huckabee gets from victories in Iowa and South Carolina.

"Cashing In From the Outside" (Brody Mullins, Wall Street Journal) Independent groups, which can receive unlimited donations, have already spent $4 million on ads in Iowa, which, due to regulations, are more often than not attack ads. As John Edwards has discovered, the support of an outside group isn't always helpful.

"Seeing New Possibilities in Iowa, McCain Boosts His Effort" (Sasha Issenberg, Boston Globe) It's the story of the week: Thanks to rising poll numbers, John McCain is competing in Iowa, if not for first, than for a strong third to give him some momentum going into New Hampshire. According to reporter Issenberg, McCain aides speculate that as few as 2,000 votes could separate fifth place from third in Iowa.

"Romney Makes Closing Argument in N.H." (Glen Johnson, Associated Press) Before heading for Iowa for some last minute campaigning, Mitt Romney made his final appeal to New Hampshire voters. Emphasizing his background and business experience, Romney contrasted his resume with unnamed rivals, Huckabee and McCain.

"Edwards Reaches New Heights in Iowa" (David Paul Kuhn, The Politico) Much like McCain in New Hampshire, Edwards is experiencing a flush of hope in a must-win state. A victory there for Edwards could upend both Obama's and Clinton's campaigns -- not a bad feat for a candidate many had written off a few months ago.

Get these and today's other election stories at RCP's Politics and Election page.