10 Questions for Matt Lauer

As co-host of the Today show, Matt Lauer comfortably occupied the seat next to the most popular anchor in morning news. But with Katie Couric gone to CBS--and Meredith Vieira still settling in as co-host--senior anchor Lauer is now more responsible for keeping Today on top. Lauer, 49, talked with TIME's Jeanne McDowell about his 10 years on Today, his chemistry with Vieira and his memorable face-off with Tom Cruise.

So did Tom Cruise invite you to his wedding?

Yes, the invitation was addressed to "Matt Matt Matt Matt."

Seriously, how would you describe your decade with the Today Show?

The first two years, I was on a learning curve. The next three years were purely invigorating. I was enjoying the job but still amazed that I had it. Then September 11 happened, and it was a turning point. The show changed dramatically. We're a lot more cautious about how we handle the news. With every event we ask, Is it terrorism?

What was the impact of Katie Couric's leaving?

The prospect of losing Katie was daunting. I knew there would be more pressure on me, and there is. I have to keep a firmer grip on the reins and give Meredith a grace period until she feels comfortable putting her own imprint on the show.

How is it going with Vieira?

Our biggest challenge is acquiring that intangible chemistry that works on air. We get along famously off camera, but sometimes there is an awkward moment and a lapse in timing between us. Katie and I were together for years, and we knew when the other was going to say something. After three months, Meredith and I aren't there yet. But it can't be forced.

When you announced that NBC was going to describe the Iraq conflict as a civil war, some critics jokingly called it your Cronkite moment [referring to Walter Cronkite's 1968 on-air declaration that the Vietnam War was unwinnable]. Does it bother you that you're not always taken seriously?

God, no. The response was 85 percent positive, 15 percent negative. I don't think anyone disagreed with what we said, but if they want to take exception with me being the one to announce it, that's fine.

What are your favorite kinds of stories?

I adore politics, but the most spontaneous moments come from ordinary people who find themselves in extraordinary situations. It has been the most difficult moment of their life, and interviewing them can be a home run or a disaster.

Let's hear about a disaster.

One of the most dramatic stories involved a man trapped in a fire in the cab of a huge construction crane 200 feet above the ground. They brought in a helicopter, and a guy dangled at the end of hooks and saved him. The next day the first thing I said [to the crane operator] was, "It must have been so harrowing." The man said, "You know, I never thought it was such a big deal." It ended right there.

What do you consider your best interview?

Hillary Clinton because of the convergence of events that were happening at the time. It was a few days after the Monica Lewinsky story broke. I fully expected Mrs. Clinton to cancel. She was a scorned woman whose husband had just been exposed for cheating. [The exchange] went extraordinarily well and resulted in the often quoted "vast right-wing conspiracy" interview. But it required as deft a touch as I ever have had to use.

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