During their 'hand-off' discussion at the end of Meet the Press, Tom Brokaw told David Gregory why the timing of his taking over the broadcast is so crucial.

What I think is very exciting for you, and important to the country, is that everyone is paying attention now, in a way that I can't remember since '68, we are in very, very difficult times. And people want to participate in their own destiny so it makes Sunday morning, across all these networks and especially here on "Meet the Press," a critically important time in American life.

Gregory then leaned on his mentor, inviting him back on the show saying, "I really want your voice and your perspective." Brokaw responded:

I'll be happy to be back but I really encourage you to reach to your generation and get fresh new voices out there, because it's a very impressive crowd of young journalist whose are coming of age.

Gregory also got choked up talking about his family. "I want my beautiful wife Beth and our three children to see me pursue my career with that sense of purpose and it means a lot to me."