Politics on the Hudson

Rudy Giuliani brought a close to his New Hampshire campaign activities with a stop at a Manchester restaurant – the Puritan Backroom Restaurant – where he slowly walked through the room shaking hands and signing autographs with the lunch crowd.

John Maciejewski, 82, of Manchester, was among those on hand for Rudy’s appearance. He said he voted for Giuliani earlier in the morning.

“He did a good job in New York,� Maciejewski said.

Giuliani, who has been criticized for not mounting much of a campaign in advance of today’s primary, told a television reporter that he expects to return to the state as the Republicannominee.

”(New Hampshire voters) are among the most politically astute people in the country,” Giuliani said. “I guess it comes about by being the first in the nation primary, so we expect to be back here in the general election and do very well in New Hampshire.”

Rudy is expected to address his supporters at a Manchester hotel after the polls close tonight and then head to Florida to campaign for that state’s primary later in the month.