In my opinion, the NewsHour's slow but steady decline began with the departure of Robin MacNeil. The loss of Gwen Ifill was a devastating blow from which the broadcast has never recovered. Ms. Ifill had a singular talent for posing tough questions and eliciting responses in a polite yet firm manner. I'm uncertain whether it's owing to Ms. Woodruff's age, but acuity and perspicacity are often absent from her interviews.