The end is rarely pretty
Posted: Wednesday, January 30, 2008 10:49 AM by Mark Murray
Filed Under:
John Yang
From NBC's John Yang and NBC/NJ's Matthew E. Berger
The end is rarely pretty.
The morning after it was reported that Giuliani was dropping out was particularly chaotic for the campaign. The traveling press corps was asked to be in the lobby at 7:30 am to be bused to the airport for a 9:00 am flight to Los Angeles, including a refueling stop in Texas.
But the only buses that showed up were for a meeting of Wendy's franchisees.
The mayor departed the hotel -- in a pick-up truck.
Still no buses. And no campaign aides to tell us exactly where we were going and what we'd do when we got there.
Calls to officials revealed that more and more of them were heading home to New York instead of accompanying the mayor.
And still no buses.
A campaign aide said there was a problem and that we should get ourselves to the airport.
A fleet of cabs took the assembled reporters to the plane in time to see campaign officials campaign manager Mike DuHaime, campaign advisor Tony Carbonetti, former deputy mayors Randy Mastro and Joe Lhota and the ubiquitous celebrity endorser Jon Voight board the plane. Giuliani boarded carrying his own suit bag. His wife, Judith, was not with him.
And on the tarmac: The buses that were to carry the press to the plane.
