BALTIMORE (WJZ) — It’s a new era for the most respected news operation in history.  The CBS Evening News will welcome Scott Pelley to the news desk Monday evening.

Pelley and Vic Carter had a long conversation about his historic appointment and what you will see when he takes charge.

Pelley comes to the anchor chair after 22 years with CBS and 35 years as a reporter.  His career began before he was old enough to drive.

“I hope they don’t hold it against me, but I’m from Texas and I’ve had a job in journalism all my life.  I’ve been a reporter all my life.  I haven’t been an anchorman; you have more experience than I do at being an anchorman,” Pelley said.

The anchor chair for him will be a natural progression and he’s not completely giving up on reporting.

“We’re going to take the broadcast on the road quite a bit.  When there are breaking stories, CBS Evening News is going to go there.  We’re going to put the best stories we can on the air,” Pelley said.

It was easy for Pelley to pick the most amazing story he’s covered.

“Well, 9/11.  I was at the Twin Towers when they came down.  Having been there and being hit by the blast and debris when the buildings collapsed,” Pelley said.  “When I finally saw that Osama bin Laden had been killed, it just closed that chapter for me.”

But he’s not nervous about this new chapter.

“David Letterman asked me if I was nervous.  I said, `Dave, my daughter turned 16 years old a week ago.  I’m teaching her how to drive.  Anchoring the CBS Evening News does not worry me in the least,’” Pelley said.

And he’s excited to come back to Baltimore.

“Baltimore is a city where the CBS Evening News does very well.  We want to pay a lot of attention to this great, classic American city,” Pelley said.

Pelley promised he will be back in Baltimore and although he may be from Texas, he loves Maryland crabs.