Chapter 23 All Due Respect Ever since the 1970s, the staff of 60 Minutes had enjoyed a peculiar perk not shared by anyone else at CBS News or anywhere else in the world of television news. It was one treasured by all those who worked there, described in hushed, reverent tones as perhaps the single best thing about the job: the July vacation. Instead of everyone juggling to squeeze rest into the tiny gaps between the constant editing, reporting, and traveling that came with producing 30 fresh episodes of 60 Minutes every season, they all waited until the season ended in June, then shut down the office completely and took off. After three decades of this, the vacation period had recently begun to slide backward, extending into late June. By mid-June of 2002, many 60 Minutes employees were already taking long lunches, going shopping in the afternoons, and solidifying travel plans. By July 1, the office was completely shut down except for a skeleton crew in place for emergencies. Otherwise, everyone had disappeared.
