The state of the economy is likely to play a much bigger role in the 2012 federal elections than the fate of al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, two political strategists told a group of top financial advisors.
Television commentators Donna Brazile and Dana Perino today talked about the announcement that a special forces team has killed bin Laden during a panel discussion at the 2011 annual meeting of the Association for Advanced Life Underwriting (AALU), Reston, Va.
Brazile, a Democratic political strategist who once served as Al Gore's campaign 
manager, is now a commentator for CNN and ABC News.
Perino, President Bush's White House press secretary from 2007 to 2009, is a Fox News contributor.
Brazile and Perino expressed similar views on the announcement of the death of bin Laden.
"I was so grateful to President Obama, people in the intelligence community and those in the military who have given their lives" in the fight against al Qaeda, Perino said. "So many people helped to make Sunday night happen. It took longer than any of us wanted, but we have finally brought bin Laden to justice."
Brazile said she gave a sigh of relief when she heard the news about bin Laden.
"To quote Dr. Martin Luther King, 'The arc of the universe is long, but it bends toward justice,'" she said.
But the strategists said the announcement seems unlikely to have much of an effect on the 2012 elections.
"The president is enjoying a small lift in his poll numbers," Brazile said. "But right now everyone's main concern is the economy. Ultimately, the president will be graded on whether he can fix the economy…. While we haven't fully turned corner, we are creating jobs. If Americans believe that the American Dream is still alive, then they'll support him come election time."
