Ann Curry's tearful goodbye on 'Today'

With tears, hugs, and a declaration of love that seemed to embrace the whole planet, Ann Curry bowed out gracefully yesterday as co-anchor of "Today" -- she'll remain with the network as national and international correspondent and "Today" anchor at large -- leaving, really, only one question: How could someone so nice come to such a bad end?

She lasted barely 12 months in a job where average tenures stretch for years, even decades. But there is no villain here, no mystery. Simply put, Curry was in a job she should never have had in the first place. In style and temperament -- and skill set, too -- she was ill suited to the role of morning TV circus master. But then most people are.

These jobs are built for actors as much as newspeople. This doesn't mean they're phony, but good actors -- who can ad-lib, fake a good laugh, grab a good quip out of thin air. Curry was and is many things, but she was never facile.

Then, there was the matter of chemistry. Like it or not, this job as now configured is to make Matt Lauer -- the highest paid anchor in the history of news -- look good. But she had a curdling effect on him, and he had the same on her.

Curry has a great ability to work a tough story from the field -- especially a story that needs a human face, her face.

She has guts and cares about people, and viewers of "Today" know that. Her new job, in fact, is perfect for her. Congratulations, in fact, are probably in order.