Heart Attack.
One of the few members of the liberal media I enjoyed.
That’s really to bad. As far as MSNBC goes, he was the only person that struck me as being a real journalist.
I have too much to say about Tim, personally and professionally, to say it here and now – if anywhere, ever. He was a great guy and had a better sense of his business than you can possibly imagine. He excelled at everything from parenting to interviewing not by being interesting, but by being interested.
My heart goes out to Maureen, Luke and Big Russ, as well as his friends in the business and far, far beyond.
He really was uniquely talented.
It’s too bad he can’t be the professional “standard” by which other journalists are judged.
My Sunday morning will no longer be the same.
Anyone who’s read Big Russ & Me knows why it absolutely sucks that we lost Tim two days before Father’s Day.
"When I wrote ‘Big Russ’ I reread it and realized I had written it as much for my son as for myself. I wanted to take those same values and same lessons of preparation and discipline and accountability and instill them into my son. I lived in South Buffalo. He lives in Washington. Opportunity and access.
"And I’m much more emotional with my son because I remember how much I missed that when my dad was off working. So I’m grabbing him all the time and roughing him up a little bit and telling him how much I love him. But I say to him – his mom says it all the time as well. You’re always, always loved but you’re never, never entitled. There’s no sense of entitlement. You’re not just going to walk through this earth thinking it all revolves around you. You have an obligation to understand that it’s something bigger than yourself. To whom much is given, much is expected.
“When he went off to college, I wrote him a little note and I said three things. Work hard or study hard. Laugh often. And keep your honor. That’s the only advice I’m going to give you. And it’s something I try to live in my own life. Don’t always succeed but it’s my best shot.”
– Tim Russert on Larry King Live (CNN), May 23, 2006
You will be missed. RIP Tim Russert…
One less professional out there
That is terrible news. He was a classy, classy guy. Only 58 too, Jesus.
i guess his “hard hitting” on Republicans and “easy going” on DemocRATs finally caught up with him.
a couple years ago when interviewing Bubba, i got so damn mad at him for NOT going for the jugular that i threw my Styrofoam gun at the TV and never watched his “show” (and that is all it ever was…, “a show”) after that he was just too damn liberal for me and i will not miss him one little bit !!
I agree that the Media in general is “Liberal”, but I also think Tim Russert clearly balanced his contributions with an unquestionable “Non Partisan” finesse that I have never seen elsewhere in the media.
One of the “Good Guys”.
Exactly my point.
He had his perspective (worked for Pat Moynihan) but he NEVER let it interfere with his professionalism.
As I said, the standard by which journalists should be judged.
He asked everyone hard-questions…dems and republicans.
A HUGE +1.
[i]“But first”…,[/i]
RIP, Mr. Russert.
I’d agree that I never would have known about his personal politics unless I went looking for them. He was also extremely active with various charities and organizations here in the D.C. area.
Having said that, and no disrespect towards the deceased, I’m a bit disturbed by the nearly 24/7 media coverage this is getting. Almost every major news channel (local and cable) is leading with this story every hour. To me, it’s an indication of exactly where the media’s priorities have gone over the past few decades. They’re now as focussed on themselves, their business, and their celebrities as they are on reporting the news.
I’m sorry Mr. Russert died so young. He definitely seemed like one of the good guys in the new business. But how his death gets multiple on air segments before little things like the massive flooding and evacuations (and deaths) in Iowa is inappropriate, imho.
Todd,
Agree 100 percent. OTOH, the alternative was probably 24/7 coverage of R.Kelly’s acquittal. Barf.
I wholeheartedly agree, Todd, and so would have the late Mr. Russert. A tribute is in order. Never-ending tributes, however, give me a rash.
I also liked Mr. Russert.
+1 on todd.
I’m not knocking Mr. Russert personally, but an IED kills 2-4 servicemen and it gets a two minute slot, while a media personality gets 48 hours of tribute. I think it displays that industry’s inflated sense of its own importance and influence.
The immense irony found within that statement is that Mr. Russert often dedicated many sunday morning shows to question guests on the policies and decisions involving our iraqi invasion/occupation,… and the harsh reality of climbing american casualties being suffered therefrom.
well, it looks like the media take care of their own.
I liked how he put politicians in the “hot seat” to let them weasel out at a later time … My condolences to his family and friends but he left much to be desired …