Chuck Todd's "No-Cut" Contract with NBC named today as chief White House correspondent

Chuck Todd never saw it coming.

NBC's fast-rising political director -- named today as chief White House correspondent -- was "shocked" when he was offered the plum late last week.

"It came out of left field," says Todd, 36, who joined NBC in March 2007. "It's not a job I aspired to, and I don't mean it negatively. There were 500 different ways I thought they could go.

"I never viewed myself as a correspondent. I didn't even view myself as a TV guy."

He does now. With President-elect Obama about to move in, the White House is arguably the best beat in journalism. Still, Todd says he spent last weekend "trying to talk myself out of it."

His primary concern was the travel. The father of two young children, Todd "had heard the horror stories" about its effect on families.

He consulted with his White House predecessor, David Gregory, moderator of "Meet the Press," and with anchor Brian Williams, another ex-White House correspondent. Both are dedicated dads.

"They both said the job can consume you," Todd says. "You draw your lines."

Under his new four-year deal, he will retain his title as political director. He will appear frequently on "MTP," where he was named a contributing editor.



http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/nbc/chuck_todds_nocut_contract_with_nbc_103852.asp#more

presented itself too soon...Had the vacancy occured 5 years from now, i think he would have been the guy..

This is a nice consolation prize..