Some Agents Fear Underfunded And Overworked Secret Service 'Relying On Luck'

Every time the president of the United States travels, he's accompanied by a cadre of Secret Service agents. Sometimes seen wearing crisp suits, sunglasses and ear pieces, the agents charged with protecting the president present a striking visual.

But Pulitzer Prize-winning Washington Post investigative reporter Carol Leonnig says the Secret Service itself is something of a mess.

In her new book, Zero Fail: The Rise and Fall of the Secret Service, Leonnig charts the agency's "chronic, ridiculously large mission," which includes protecting U.S. political leaders and their family members as well as visiting heads of state. The Secret Service is also charged with investigating financial crimes, such as counterfeit money.

Leonnig says the mission is made all the more challenging by the fact that the Secret Service is understaffed, underfunded and often working with outdated technology and inadequate training.