NBC/ Virginia SherwoodMeet the Press, meet your new host.
Longtime NBC News vet David Gregory has been officially named the new moderator of TV's Sunday-morning political staple, succeeding the late Tim Russert in the post, which has, for the past six months, been temporarily helmed by Tom Brokaw.
Brokaw made the announcement on yesterday's show. After being introduced, Gregory was quick to praise his predecessor, calling the task of filling Russert's formidable shoes both "daunting and humbling."
"I'm not Tim. But along with this great team, I can just work real hard to make him proud."
The 38-year-old Gregory, the network's chief White House correspondent, will take on the Press post effective immediately, making his permanent debut this Sunday. He will also continue as a Today show contributor and analyst for MSNBC and NBC News.
The salt-and-pepper newsman's appointment was hotly rumored last week, when he emerged as the frontrunner for the host job above fellow contenders Chuck Todd, Gwen Ifill and Andrea Mitchell.