Pelley replaces Couric on CBS News

"Tonight, the U.S. shows its firepower along the Afghan border . . . "

And so began Scott Pelley's "CBS Evening News" Monday night.

Pelley, a "60 Minutes" veteran, said nothing about his new role at the broadcast. He replaces Katie Couric -- everyone already knows that. But what viewers didn't yet know was what his tone or approach would be. Couric's inaugural broadcast eschewed the trappings of the traditional evening news program; Pelley's embraced them. This was a sober, solid, intelligent beginning. TV news traditionalists were probably pleased, too.