Giuliani has always enjoyed playing the crime-fighting superhero, but he has, famously, been a cold and merciless crusader--a bane to squeegee pests, jaywalkers, homeless people, welfare moms, police-shooting victims and city-council Democrats.

CNN: Rudy's soulful exit

Despite having started his second (and final) term as mayor with a blizzard of campaigns to rid New York city of, among other things, drugs, jaywalkers, crumbling baseball stadiums and impoliteness, Mr Giuliani looks restless.

ECONOMIST: New York��s elections

His reputation was forged in the refiner's fire of Sept. 11, which burned away the dross of what had been a successful but contentious two terms as New York City's mayor, a guy who reduced crime, yet picked fights with squeegee men and jaywalkers.

FORBES: As a businessman, he's been mixing with a sketchier crowd.