One of the most important skills at [reporting] is not so much what comes out of your mouth but what you hear. To listen. When you interview people, it's very important to understand the nuances of what they're saying and to understand when they have actually made news-when they've told you something that they haven't told anybody else.
Lester HoltI remember when I interviewed at MSNBC, one of the first things they said to me was, 'In your tapes, you had a mustache, right?' I said, 'Yeah, I recently took it off.' I said, 'If you hire me, you get to decide if you want it or not.' They said, 'No, no, we're fine with it now.'
Lester HoltI like to report. I like to go to the newsmakers. I like to get out. I've heard about people talking about the anchor as the voice of god. That set is not an altar. It's a great job, I love doing it, but I don't take that role as my identity - the anchorman - it sounds very old-fashioned.
Lester HoltThe share of Americans who say race relations are bad in this country is the highest it's been in decades, much of it amplified by shootings of African-Americans by police, as we've seen recently in Charlotte and Tulsa.
Lester HoltStop-and-frisk was ruled unconstitutional in New York, because it largely singled out black and Hispanic young men.
Lester HoltThere are two economic realities in America today. There's been a record six straight years of job growth, and new census numbers show incomes have increased at a record rate after years of stagnation. However, income inequality remains significant, and nearly half of Americans are living paycheck to paycheck.
Lester HoltOne of the most important skills at [reporting] is not so much what comes out of your mouth but what you hear. To listen. When you interview people, it's very important to understand the nuances of what they're saying and to understand when they have actually made news-when they've told you something that they haven't told anybody else.
Lester Holt