GOFFSTOWN, N.H. - There are not a lot of things that could persuade a presidential candidate's plane to delay its takeoff and return to the airport.
Leaving the Secret Service's luggage on the tarmac might be one of them.
Mitt Romney‘s plane was about to take off from Manchester, N.H., bound for New Orleans and filled with reporters, staff members, agents and Mr. Romney himself. The plane started taxiing toward the runway.
But within moments, there was a ruckus up front as members of Mr. Romney's protective detail huddled with the plane's crew and some of Mr. Romney's campaign staff. A few minutes later, the plane pulled off to an area away from the runways and powered down.
More huddling was followed by an aide's notification to reporters that some luggage had been left behind and needed to be put back on the plane. No more detail was given.
But out the windows of the plane, black S.U.V.'s sudd enly appeared, and soon the big black bags favored by the Secret Service were being loaded onto the back of the plane. Some eagle-eyed reporters noticed Secret Service tags on the bags.
A few minutes more and the plane was once again on its way - a few bags heavier. What was in them? And where, exactly, were they?
Nobody is saying.
Follow Michael D. Shear on Twitter at @shearm.
