Well, this comes as a sad surprise:
WASHINGTON – Tim Russert, NBC News’ Washington bureau chief and the moderator of “Meet the Press,” died Friday after a sudden heart attack at the bureau, NBC News said Friday. He was 58.
Russert was recording voiceovers for Sunday’s “Meet the Press” program when he collapsed, the network said. No details were immediately available.
Russert, the recipient of 48 honorary doctorates, took over the helm of “Meet the Press” in December 1991. Now in its 60th year, “Meet the Press” is the longest-running program in the history of television.
In 2008, Time Magazine named him one of the 100 most influential people in the world.
Timothy John Russert Jr. was born in Buffalo, N.Y., on May 7, 1950. He was a graduate of Canisius High School, John Carroll University and the Cleveland-Marshall College of Law. He was a member of the bar in New York and the District of Columbia.
Sometime in the `90’s Meet the Press became the best Sunday morning talk show on television, and Russert was the reason why. It really didn’t matter what side of the aisle you were on, because he focused on you laser beam and dodging the questions wasn’t really an option. Rumor has it that Russert was nowhere to be seen at the Saturday night parties in Washington, D.C. because he spent the night getting ready for Sunday’s show; I don’t know if that was true or not, but he sure as hell knew what he was talking about.
His most memorable moments, though, will be during NBC’s election night coverage in 2000 and 2004. The Tim Russert White Board is now, it seems, the stuff of legend.
I’m not sure that show can be the same without him.
Further thoughts from Chris Cillizza:
Russert was, without question, the single most influential political journalist working in Washington. His show — known to insiders as simply “MTP” — was not only the most watched of the Sunday news programs but also the one that every politician and journalist aspired to appear on.
An example of Russert’s influence: When he proclaimed that Barack Obama had effectively clinched the Democratic presidential nomination on the night of the May 6 primaries in Indiana and North Carolina, it was seen as a significant sign that Hillary Rodham Clinton’s time in the race was running short. As my colleagues Anne Kornblut and Dan Balz wrote: “When NBC’s Tim Russert flatly declared the Democratic race over around midnight, one adviser recalled, “the air came out of the room.”
More to come, I’m sure.
Well….Tim “RAT BASTARD” Russert died. BOO HOO… Ain’t he da guy who squealed on da Scoot Libby? No doubt “BIG RUSS”, Tim’s old man , never lived on Buffalo’s WEST SIDE. He woulda learned dat no one likes a squealer and passed that on to his Rat Bastard kid. Just hope Tim da RAT BASTARD is going to be buried out of the area so he won’t stink up a good cemetery.
Jon,
I approved your comment only to show the rest of the world how stupid you truly are.
I am a die hard, God fearing, conservative Republican.
I look at the world and measure persons through that filter.
I truly found that Tim Russert was fair and balanced. He was issue focused like all good attorneys are. He held the persons that he interviewed to the issues, without considering party. May he rest in God’s peace
Jon Wong has proven that he has no character and apparently doesn’t know what it’s like to be brought up with rights and wrongs. When a decent person takes an oath in a court of law and is a Christian, if they truly have a reverence for God, they do not, can not and will not lie. May God forgive you for making such an evil statement. Look up the word MERCY.
Jon Wong or whatever your real name is “how dare you”!! Tim was one of the nicest & well respected people on this planet. You really need to put you mind in gear before putting your foul mouth in motion. I only hope that Maureen & Luke don’t get to see your post. Tim, may you rest in peace.