To recap how long it theoretically would take each person, not counting delays:
Robertson: Take off at 1 p.m., land in Washington at 2:20 p.m., drive to CNN offices.
Desjardins: Take a 1 p.m. Amtrak Acela train to Washington, arriving at 3:45 p.m., drive to CNN offices.
Todd: Drive from New York to CNN offices in Washington, perhaps a four-hour trip. (So, an arrival sometime after 5 p.m.)
If Robertson or Desjardins had missed their 1 p.m. departures, they would have tried for a different time.