For those of you who are wondering when Katie Couric suddenly flipped the switch from forgettable evening news anchor to serious journalist, let us remind you: The woman has always had a knack for asking the tough questions. Though her series of interviews with Gov. Sarah Palin have delivered light ratings but endless blog fodder, it's worth looking back some 12 years when Couric was still on the Today show and, rather than applying vanilla scented lotion to her knees and softballing with Bob Dole, she grilled the then-senator and presidential hopeful about his ties to the tobacco lobby. It was fantastic.

Sadly, we can't find a video of the exchange, but here's a transcript via PBS:

KATIE COURIC: (NBC "Today") What would you say to people who say he's in tobacco's pocket, he's in the pocket of the tobacco industry?

SEN. BOB DOLE, Republican Presidential Candidate: I don't–I don't know if anybody's in the tobacco pocket.

KATIE COURIC: He's an apologist.

SEN. BOB DOLE: Obviously when the Republicans control, we get more contributions from companies, as we have since 1994. I haven't any idea whether I've had any money directed to my campaign by tobacco companies. I'm not in their pocket. And my view is, as I've said time and time again, again, the liberal media crosses that out, goes right back to the Democratic line, I mean, you should–you know, you may be violating the FCC regulations by always, you know, sticking up for the Democrats, advertising their–

KATIE COURIC: This has been in the news, and it certainly–

SEN. BOB DOLE: Well, it's been in the news.

KATIE COURIC: We want to give you an opportunity to respond.

SEN. BOB DOLE: You can't respond because the media has already made up their mind. I've said, I don't know whether it's addictive. I'm not a doctor. I'm not a scientist. People shouldn't smoke, young or old. Now what else do you do?

KATIE COURIC: C. Everett Koop is, is pretty non-partisan, wouldn't you say?

SEN. BOB DOLE: Oh, he's a Dole supporter, a Dole contributor.

KATIE COURIC: Well, he criticized you quite severely for your comments.

ELIZABETH DOLE: You saw the answer, my husband's letter.

KATIE COURIC: Yes, I did. I saw the letter. I did. But I'm saying, you know, you're saying it's the liberal media–

SEN. BOB DOLE: But, again, he read something that–

KATIE COURIC: –but even Dr. Koop had a real problem with your comments.

SEN. BOB DOLE: Dr. Koop, you know, he watches the liberal media, and he–

KATIE COURIC: He's brainwashed?

SEN. BOB DOLE: –probably got carried away. Probably a little bit.

And Frank Rich remembers the exchange here.