I remember reading an article which stated that during the immediate chaos of 911 ,various departments officials were frantically trying to get hold of each other to try to co-ordinate rescue operations but Rudy was no where to be found.
Why . . .? He was too busy catwalking the streets showing his face on tv.
Odd that New Yorkers - who were actually there - remember it quite differently and remember with overwhelming positiveness how Rudy ran the city in that time.
Probably a more accurate pulse than the Salon article you remember reading.