Washington, June 25: One of the top advisers of Republican presidential candidate John McCain has said that the assassination of former Pakistan premier Benazir Bhutto helped McCain win the Republican primary, since the people appreciated his knowledge and ability in talking about the killing.

In an interview with the Fortune magazine, Charles R Black Jr said that though unfortunate, Benazir’s assassination helped McCain win the Republican primary.

“His knowledge and ability to talk about it re-emphasised that this is the guy who’s ready to be commander-in-chief. And it helped us,” the Daily Times quoted Black as saying in the interview.

Black also told the magazine that a fresh terrorist attack on America “certainly would be a big advantage to him”, a claim that was immediately disowned by the McCain campaign and denounced on behalf of his Democratic rival Barack Obama as a “complete disgrace”.

Next US presidential elections are slated to take place in November and the new incumbent will assume office in January. (ANI)