Vargas: Credible, Smooth, Charismatic

“Elizabeth Vargas seems such a fabulous fit with ABC’s World News Tonight that my first thought was she should have been hired to anchor the broadcast alone,” San Antonio Express-News columnist Jeanne Jakle says.

“…Did you watch Vargas solo anchor World News Tonight on Tuesday, the day after ABC proclaimed she and Bob Woodruff would succeed Peter Jennings on the 5:30 p.m. telecast?

Sure, she’s subbed on the show before, but I for one watched her with new interest now that I knew she would be there permanently come Jan. 2.

OK, so the half-hour seemed more feature-heavy than it did under Jennings’ watch. Vargas herself, however, didn’t bring to the show any of the TV newsmagazine attitude she displays on 20-20.

She was direct, credible, smooth and, yes, charismatic, an asset the milquetoast Brian Williams of NBC lacks.”