[DeckTheHallsHolly]

What good would calling have done. Yes, an agent could have been scheduled to flight. But how could a phone call help ID a person. A terrorist could have assumed the agent's idenity. If the guy could not fill out the paperwork right three times and had an attitude problem (could have been pissed that infidels were keeping him from doing Allah's business) who is to say he was the real agent. The real agent could have been locked up dead in the trunk of a car. Without a face to face ID by someone who knew the agent a phone call would be useless. Yes the agent did turn out to who he said he was he also appears to be a jerk with a gun too.

[Dave S]

What good would calling have done. Yes, an agent could have been scheduled to flight. But how could a phone call help ID a person. A terrorist could have assumed the agent's idenity

Think about it. The agent in charge would know his voice. I've been able to recognize the voice of anyone who directly reported to me. Presumably The Agent in Charge would as well. Additionally, you've got to believe that they have some trick question or bit of information that is used for this purpose. Hell the credit card companies have your mothers maiden name, date of birth, last four digits of social security #, you would think the Secret SErvice has something setup that only their agent would know the answer to. Also the White House could have faxed or emailed a photo of the agent to the gate or to airport security where three separate police officers had already checked him out. Presumably they would be able to recognize whether the person in the picture is the person they walked to the gate.