No time like the present

The morning edition of The New York Times that appeared on February 26, 1986 was filled with gripping news of the fall of President Ferdinand E. Marcos. Late the previous night, after hours of tense uncertainty – Marcos had reportedly begged and pleaded to be allowed to stay on – four US Air Force helicopters ignominiously plucked the dictator, his family, and an entourage of 60 people from Malacañang Palace and whisked them out of the country.

The report recounted the humiliation: “The people no longer wanted him and he settled for escaping in the darkness.” The newspaper published an accompanying photograph that showed euphoric crowds thronging the presidential palace celebrating his departure.