Lester Holt Leaving NBC Nightly News This Summer

[Pink Freud]

He says he'll spend more time on NBC's "Dateline" series. I thought I'd never get over losing Brian Williams in the anchor chair, but Holt's a rock-solid journalist with gravitas and a great voice.

Now the horserace will begin for his "Nightly News" successor: Hallie Jackson? Jose Diaz-Belart? Willie Geist? Katy Tur? Kate Snow? Gabe Gutierrez? Tom Costello (that's my pick)? Bring in a more conservative figure, like the WSJ's excellent columnist Peggy Noonan? Or, go outside NBC for someone like CNN's telegenic (OK....smokin') Natasha Bertrand?