Suddenly NBC‘s “Meet The Press” matters again, and when new host Chuck Todd joined me on Friday’s radio show (see transcript) two of many reasons why became obvious.

First, Todd had booked James Baker (former secretary of state and treasury, White House chief-of-staff, and W’s Florida strategist during 2000’s epic recount) to talk about whether or not an international coalition could be assembled by President Obama to battle the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria. The Baker booking was shrewd, and more will be forthcoming.