Here’s a report by The Caucus Blog of the New York Times:
It was the handshake shown around the country.
At about 9 p.m. Eastern time, Senators Barack Obama and John McCain briefly crossed paths in a rare moment in the presidential campaign (the Senate floor doesn’t count, and besides, neither of them has been there much lately). They shared the stage for 36 seconds at Saddleback Church, an evangelical mega-church here, where they briefly hugged each other and smiled, belying a nastier campaign between them that has taken place long-distance and over the airwaves. (The full transcript of the debate is here.)
Tonight’s encounter, marked the unofficial opening of the general election and serve as a prequel to the fall debates as the two candidates discussed, although not simultaneously, a range of faith-related, character, leadership and humanitarian issues.