The second and even weightier anchor has been the lure of EU membership.

ECONOMIST: Anchors aweigh

In the 4X100-meter freestyle relay, teammate Jason Lezak trailed by almost six-tenths of a second when he entered the pool for his anchor leg.

CNN: Phelps wins historic eighth gold medal

Without the star power the longtime co-anchor lends the chat-fest, the second-place morning show could struggle to compete with NBC's top-rated Today when it comes to access and exclusive interviews.

FORBES: Media