On the morning of September 11, lame duck Mayor Rudolph Giuliani was watching the progress of the New York City primary election. Having lost popularity in a public split from his wife, and fighting prostate cancer, Giuliani was ready to step out of the limelight. Instead, the events of the day served to rocket him to the pinnacle of visibility. Arriving at the World Trade Center just after the second plane hit, Giuliani remained at the center of the crisis for the next sixteen hours. He held press briefings, visited hospitals, comforted families, and returned repeatedly to the attack scene. In the following weeks, wearing a succession of trademark caps, he inspired the city and the nation with messages of compassion, resolve, and resilience.