My concern would have been whether this was a distraction for hits 2 and 3, etc. I would have wanted to know pretty much real time.
But then, I'm a doctor (and a wife and moma) and I don't think like a general or a Secret Service agent. I'm sure I don't think like a President. I think like someone with more manageable problems, that *I* personally must resolve, without a whole intelligence service and army, etc., behind/in front of me.
I think what made this situation unique (did anyone else hear this/read this) was that the pilot wasn't responding to calls for identification. If some dimwit with a pilot's license gets cocky and flies into the WH airspace, but tells the controllers that he's there, the president shouldn't be alerted until afterwards.
But if a small craft refuses to ID itself and there is an evacuation occurring, why not at least appraise him of the situation? No need to spirit him off somewhere. Just let him in on what's going on.
To me... That was the biggest screw up, If I was a terrorist, I would instruct a pilot to violate the White House Airspace and once everyone has been evacuated and instructed to retreat to Union Station, I'd blow up Union Station.
IMHO you win the "Thinkers" award for the evening :-)