Thompson Backs One-Time Rival Giuliani

Republican Presidential hopeful Rudy Giuliani shakes hands with supporters during a campaign stop at Spill the Beans coffee shop Thursday, Oct. 11, 2007, in Greenvillle,S.C.(AP Photo/Mary Ann Chastain) (Mary Ann Chastain - AP)

Earlier in Columbia, Giuliani kept up his criticism of Democratic rival Clinton.

The New York senator has "never run a government. She's never run a state," Giuliani told several hundred homebuilders and real estate agents. "She's never run a business."

As if addressing Clinton, he said, "You've never met a payroll. You've never had the responsibility for the safety and security of the people on your shoulders." Of himself, he said, "I've run a lot of different things."

He also called for limits on lawsuits and cited a recent case in Washington in which a lawyer sought $54 million after a dry cleaner lost his pants.

The lawyer lost the lawsuit, but the family that owned the business sold it, citing loss of revenue and the emotional strain of defending the case, the family's attorney has said.

"You should have to pay for the damage that you do in bringing a frivolous and phony lawsuit. We've got to start creating an incentive so that people don't bring the frivolous lawsuits," Giuliani said. "Simple fact is we sue too much in the United States of America."

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Associated Press writers Jim Davenport in Columbia, S.C., and Liz Sidoti in Washington contributed to this report.