Today hasn't lost in the morning ratings in more than a decade and is television's most profitable show, so NBC has a lot riding on Vieira.

Couric's exit didn't put a dent in the show's ratings dominance during the summer and now NBC hopes that viewers accept Vieira into the family.

"There has never been a team that is better prepared to do this job than the one we've got," said Steve Capus, NBC News president.

Vieira had a serious tone and approach with Tim Russert this morning as they discussed the November general election and the war in Iraq.

Then, she was laughing and joking with Lauer just a few minutes later as she held up the latest People magazine issue, with a photo of him bare-chested on the beach. She cut to a clip of President Bush greeting Lauer with a copy of the magazine in hand.

“He’s turned on by your abs,” she laughingly told her new TV partner, who also has connections with Rhode Island and Vieira's former employer, Channel 10. He was co-host of the station's PM Magazine from 1981 to 1985.

Then, she flubbed her line a bit as they signed off for a 7:20 a.m. commercial break and left us with an image of the two co-hosts laughing together and seeming to enjoy themselves.