Darien's Scott Pelley Premieres as CBS Evening News Anchor

"Tonight, the U.S. shows its firepower along Pakistan's border."

So began the CBS Evening News's broadcast Monday, its first under newly minted anchor and Darien resident Scott Pelley [watch].

Against a backdrop of a world map — a replica of the one that once hung behind Walter Cronkite — the Texas native soberly introduced segments on the ground war in Afghanistan, the death of five U.S. soldiers in Iraq, and Pentagon discussions on troop levels in both nations. 

It wasn't until seven minutes in that Pelley pivoted from national security issues to a segment about new research on genetically-tailored cancer treatments, followed later by Rick Santorum's presidential campaign announcement, new data on the housing market, and a segment on the 67th anniversary of D-Day.

Congressman Anthony Weiner's admission that he had sent explicit photos to female admirers — which dominated many news programs and websites throughout the day — came after the first commercial break.

Pelley was named to succeed outgoing anchor Katie Couric in May after Couric confirmed that she would step down when her contract expired this month. (Monday also brought the news that Couric had signed on with ABC to host an afternoon talk show.)

A transplant from 60 Minutes, Pelley has held numerous positions at CBS News since joining the network in 1989. He previously served as the network's chief White House correspondent.

Jeff Fager, chairman of CBS's news division and a New Canaan resident,  that the broadcast under Pelley would be "60 Minutes on CBS Evening News."

"It's not just a slogan. It is real," Fager said. "It's the best reporting and storytelling. That's why I wanted Scott Pelley as the anchor. He will be the managing editor and I think the viewers will notice a change in how the stories are presented."

Pelley's resume includes stories such as the Oklahoma City bombing, the 1992 presidential campaign, the impeachment of President Clinton, the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, the recent financial crisis, and both the 1993 and 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center.

While at 60 Minutes, Pelley and his team won two George Foster Peabody awards, one of journalism's highest honors. The first came in 2007 for coverage of an incident in Haditha, Iraq in which U.S. Marines allegedly killed 22 civilians; the second for a 2009 report on Remote Area Medical, an international relief organization.

Pelley and his family moved to Darien three years ago from Virginia. In an interview last year with New Canaan - Darien Magazine, he joked that his basement — which is outfitted with equipment to record narrations for his segments — was his "Darien Bureau."