NBC denies it, saying no announcement is forthcoming

NBC's lead White House correspondent, David Gregory, is the next permanent host of "Meet the Press," unless he's not.

Gregory, who anchored MSNBC's "Race to the White House" show this fall and is a regular contributor to "Meet the Press," has been considered among the leading contenders to take over the Sunday-morning show. Former NBC anchor Tom Brokaw has been serving as moderator since the death of long-time host Tim Russert in June.

The Huffington Post reported Monday night that Gregory, a 13-year veteran of NBC, would be named as moderator of "Meet the Press." NBC News has denied the report, saying it's not ready to make an announcement.

Whether Gregory or someone else is in line for the job, though, official word from NBC is likely to come soon. Brokaw's stint as interim host is scheduled to end this weekend when he interviews President-elect Barack Obama.

Other contenders for the job include NBC News political director Chuck Todd, veteran NBC correspondent Andrea Mitchell and Gwen Ifill of PBS. Former "Nightline" anchor Ted Koppel, whose contract with Discovery is about to end, has also been rumored as a possible replacement for Russert.