 Some Giuliani aides and national Republican figures concluded that his interest in the campaign was flagging, as although he was desirous of winning in political combat against a Clinton, he was by nature an executive personality and the prospect of serving as one of a hundred legislators was unappealing to him.By this time, Clinton was 8 to 10 points ahead of Giuliani in the polls.In retrospect, "The New York Times" would write that the battle so far between the two had comprised "a blistering year of mental gamesmanship, piercing attacks, contrasts in personalities and positions, and blunders played out by two outsize political figures in a super-heated atmosphere."