Tim Russert, 1950-2008
Tim Russert, 1950-2008
TV news giant Tim Russert died today of a heart attack. He was only 58.
He was a controversial figure who, when he was at his best, pushed hard on our public officials -- and God knows that kind of journalism is sorely needed. You have to wonder how hard he pushed himself in the process. He was a man who cherished fatherhood to the point that he wrote a best-selling book about his own dad, "Big Russ" - who outlives him -- and he died two days short of Father's Day. Truly sad.
It's Friday. Go home and spend a lot of time with your own family. Every second counts.
My condolences to Tim Russert's family and his many friends.
Comments (31)
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I guess most of the readership of this blog don't remember the real Meet the Press, in which a panel of three journalists asked serious policy questions of important guests. The show was about policy, not politics, and incredibly wonkish -- but was sssential viewing for people who wanted to know what was really going on in Washington DC.Russert took it over, and made it the "Timmeh" show -- instead of a panel of journalists who covered (and understood) the subjects that each week's guest would be discussing, "Timmeh" decided that HE was "the press" that guests had to "meet".
MTP didn't expand to an hour to provide the American people with more information -- it did so simply because "This Week with David Brinkley" had come up with a highly successful new format for the Sunday Morning News Show --- the "roundtable" where Brinkley, Sam Donaldson, George Will, and one other journalist (Cokie Roberts was working for PBS at the time...but was a regular on the panel) would tell us what to think. Russert just copied what THWDB was doing when he expanded MTP to an hour.
Russerts legacy is really about the prostitution of television news -- an institution that started out as a public service, and turned into a profit center for the networks.
— paul_lukasiak- Tim was the father all sons would love to have.Read his book "Big Russ" about him and his father.Happy Fathers Day!!!— kjgallen
- Tim, you were the best.— scrooge1
- This sudden and unfortunate death gives me an opportunity to reflect on my ambivalence towards russert's legacy. On the one hand, he was the consummate Washington insider, who often traded journalistic integrity and his commitment to the people for access to the powerful. Let us never forget that Russert was Cheney's go-to guy to propagate the Bush Administration's justification for war in Iraq. Russert's testimony during Libby's trial was one of the more pathetic episodes in modern journalism history. On the other hand, Russert wasn't a total lap dog for the political elite. He was famous--and derided by some--for his "gotcha" journalism, whereby he read off a politician's previous statement and asked them to reconcile that with what appeared to be a total 180. When he took over "Meet the Press," he managed to expand the show to a full hour, which allowed for probably the only long-form interviews in the corporate media. I had my problems with Russert, but I have to say that when I saw the credits roll for "Meet the Press" every Sunday morning, I had the feeling that something important was about to transpire. We all have Russert to thank for that.— joeblow
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- Some of you folks really show your colors in times like this. I would hope that I would be able to refrain from your types of comments if anything should ever happen to the vice President. Yecch!— craigaa52
- i agree with Lukasiak, I am sorry for his death but he practiced tabloid journalism, the gotcha" again questions. Just wondering who will replace him, maybe Tucker, the whining baby? I wonder what Tim will say to defend his work to the great man upstairs? Will he meet all the men and women who have died in this needless war? What will he say to them? How about all the Iraquis that have died? Sorry I am being mean, but I was just wondering.— nuffera
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- b.at --- Could you please produce a quote of Russert's in which he specifically "called someone a hypocrite, or worse"? To me, he questioned people like a good trial lawyer should --- making them explain how their past words & actions jibe (or not) with their current words & actions. The listener comes to the conclusion.— yobill626
- He was a true craftsman in his field and unfortunately, there just plain ain't many of them left. And , yes swifty, it certainly should have been the other way around; conservative states should have been labelled blue and liberal ones red. Why Mr. Russert chose the color scheme he did must be left to the speculations of history...— George Tomezsko
- ATKINSON you are nuts. The tributes to this man are amazing and if he was the person YOU portraid it would have been over in 5 minutes. He had cred like Cronkite. Wake up dude.— q2again
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Though I think he was left of center in his personal politics, he challenged liberals as well as conservatives. The fact that conservatives like Rush and Sean Hannity are paying tribute to him today shows that he was a fair man and respected on both sides. RIP.— jmc- Timmy reminded me of our good buddy Tolly. Russert was a good guy doing good things for good people.— shoeshineboy
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- good heavens. While I feel sorry for Russert's family, his passing is no great loss for journalism. Regardless of his contributions when he was younger, for the past decade he has become a characature of the "Village" media -- a master of content free-gotcha journalism that are designed not to enlighten and imform, but simply to make him appear to be a "tough questioner"...and Meet the Press under his stewardship has gone from a highly respected forum for the discussion of important issues into the ultimate example of the "celebritization" of politicians.— paul_lukasiak
- NBC, journalism and the world has lost a great one. Rest in peace, Tim, we will miss you dearly.— aviator
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I am suprised and saddened to hear of Tim's passing Tim will be sorely missed. john ullman- shineboy, do go home and take your stupid comments with you. Sorry to see Tim go. He was a classy guy. Don't know who they will get to replace him.— mike l
- This is a personal loss to everyone who cherishes a free press accountable to the people. Tim Russert's shoes will never be filled adequately. Democrat , Republican , left or right , Russert was a probe that sought to bring the truth to the public . This quality is fading fast from America's media climate. Thank you Mr. Russert for giving us a voice , asking what we would like to ask and holding public figures accountable to the public. The hole you leave behind is enormous.— jblanken11
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- Always here to help. Just like any good shiner— shoeshineboy
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- that was my reaction, will. every second counts. tim russert loomed large in our house. for my dad's 80th birthday, i wrote a long poem about him that included a line about him shouting questions at the television to tim during meet the press. tim was like a member of the family, really. there will be a lot of true tim russert fans greeting his smiling face up there. he'll have plenty to do.— amyr
- Link is fixed -- thanks— will
- Tragic loss. There aren't many like him left, who personify integrity and refuse to fawn over Kings, or patronize commoners. He was the only one worth watching on Sunday mornings. He and Buckley will be having some fascinating conversations in the heavens. Pax requiescat, Mr. Russert.— Christine
- FYI - First link does not work.— shoeshineboy
- Absolutely, that kind of journalism is sorely needed. I can think of one place that could benefit from this. I checked with the Obama campaign to see if i can go home.— shoeshineboy
- Bye bye, Timmeh. RIP— Some Boca Dude
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