If Giuliani was in charge they would've been booted the 1st night. Sean said that Bloomberg is the reason why this ridiculous movement spread, if he nipped it in the bud it would've ended.
Good call.
Bloomberg didn't grow enough balls to crack down on them until two factors came to his attention:
1. He realized how lawless and violent the Occupy freaks had become, and how much their encampment had begun to turn into one gigantic fire/ safety hazard, of the sort that lawsuits are made of.
2. Tourism is always a very important contributor to NYC's economy, especially around the holidays, between the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade and Christmas in Rockefeller Center and everything else. He didn't want to run the risk of the Occupy freaks disrupting those events, or harassing or terrorizing tourists.
As you said, Giuliani would have kicked those freaks out right away and saved a lot of decent citizens a lot of misery.