Washington Week with The Atlantic

Good evening, and welcome to WASHINGTON WEEK with The Atlantic.

Before we get to this week's news, a word about why I'm here.

WASHINGTON WEEK is joining forces with The Atlantic, and you'll find me in this chair most weeks.

I hope you stick around, and I definitely hope you stick around tonight, not only because we have an excellent panel, but because this is my first time hosting the show and you never know what might happen.

It was a thrill to be asked to moderate WASHINGTON WEEK, which is a bastion of smart conversation on television.

I follow an impressive group of people who previously hosted this show, among them, my most recent predecessors, Yamiche Alcindor and Robert Costa.

And it's very important for me to say a word about the person who preceded them, the legend herself, Gwen Ifill.

In addition to being a mentor and role model for me and for countless other journalists, Gwen was also my friend.

I miss her every day, and it is one of the great honors of my life to be sitting in her chair.