Giuliani: Bipartisan Handshakes "A Very Nice Thing"
NASHUA, N.H. -- Rudy Giuliani commented on last night's rare meeting of both Democratic and Republican candidates between debates, calling it "more than symbolic ... that was a very nice thing."
The momentary on-stage mingling between candidates was silent, aside from a prolonged audience applause.
Giuliani was asked what he said to his fellow politicians, all of whom shook hands and exchanged words.
"I greeted them all ... wished them all luck ... congratulated Barack Obama," said Giuliani. "The idea was, here you have on the stage, the next president of the United States -- you don't know who it's going to be."
And what was said between Giuliani and Hillary Clinton?
"We exchanged very nice greetings," said Giuliani.
Giuliani, who was heading back to his hotel room to prepare for tonight's Fox News debate, paused for a moment in a lobby packed with press to say how the exchange felt personally.
"Even on just an emotional level, it gives you the sense that you do share something in common. Even if you have big disagreements over taxes, Iraq, all those other things ... we're all sharing in common this desire to try to serve America, to try to help America, we all think we can do it best – but we respect other people who put themselves through what we go through."
"So I look at someone like Barack Obama or John Edwards, Hillary Clinton, Governor Richardson – who I knew when he was an ambassador – most of these people I know, and I say to myself, I have great respect for these people. They're going through a very difficult thing and they're going through it because they believe as strongly in what they want to do as what I believe in what I want to do."
"I thought it was a very nice thing to do."