September 11th

Giuliani in the Aftermath of the Attack

In the morning of September 11, when Giuliani first heard that a plane, at that time described as no more than a Cessna, had crashed into one of the towers of the World Trade Center, he left a political breakfast he was attending and headed downtown, whereupon he learned that a second plane had crashed into the other tower. As the original headquarters for New York City disasters were, ironically, located in the World Trade Center, Giuliani had to improvise. He set up two command posts. He wanted the police and fire departments to function separately, the police to protect the rest of the city, and the fire department to command the attack site. The new address for disaster headquarters was 75 Barclay Street. On September 12, at a news conference, Giuliani showed a personal, fatherly side, that led one columnist to describe him as “unstintingly there … calm, frank, patient, tender, egoless, and competent” (Hertzberg [Page 1412]2001). Both Giuliani and reporters were more worried about the dead and possible survivors than any other issue. Giuliani confirmed that three hundred firefighters were gone, and that some of his friends had been killed, but couldn't go much beyond that. His transparency was both honest and reassuring. If he didn't know something, he said so, going so far as to correct a colleague who had given out unsupported information. He let the public know that about two thousand emergency workers were on the site, twenty-four hours a day.

Fireman leave the rescue area near the ruins of the World Trade Center on 13 September 2003.

Corbis; used with permission.

Two days later, at another news conference, Giuliani focused on reporters who were misinforming the public or just getting their facts wrong. He corrected false information about survivors, alleged arrests, and rumors about box cutters and knives found. He urged reporters to verify what they heard with the FBI or the police. He announced that schools were open north of Canal Street and that the Staten Island Ferry was running. He warned people about a telemarketing outfit that was calling people up and asking for donations, telling them that no one should be soliciting at that point.

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