Retired FBI agent Candice DeLong, who joined the bureau in the late 1970s, discussed the obstacles women faced in the FBI, her involvement in the Unabomber case, and intelligence failures before 9/11. She criticized poor communication among the FBI, CIA, and NSA, noted vulnerabilities in airport security, and expressed surprise that there had not been more attacks since 9/11. She also pointed out that the Patriot Act expanded the FBI’s ability to access library records.
DeLong advocated a moratorium on students from what she called “criteria countries,” arguing that the U.S. should not train potential enemies. She discussed the difficult balance between warning the public about possible biological or nuclear attacks and causing unnecessary panic. She also criticized FBI management, citing inexperienced supervisors, inadequate specialization requirements, and a “screw up, get up” culture in which problematic managers could still be promoted.
Discussing the 2001 anthrax attacks, DeLong believed the perpetrator was a highly educated man with the knowledge and means to protect himself from anthrax, and warned he could strike again. She believed the attacks were domestic rather than state-sponsored, exploiting the post-9/11 atmosphere. DeLong also discussed preemptive military policy and argued that terrorists should sometimes be captured for interrogation rather than immediately killed, citing the French use of torture to obtain intelligence. The first hour featured news and Open Lines.