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Tim Russert Dead At 58

His death is a loss to his profession. His presence and insights will be sorely missed as a part of what I consider to be the best group of people covering politics and the presidential race.


I realize that many do not share my opinion of him professionally, he was in the prime of his career and would certainly have joined the ranks of journalists that could bring history to life for coming generations. He died as many wish they could, suddenly and engaged in the profession they loved.



Boo
 
The definition of journalistic credibility. Russert was always one of my favorites. Where many interviewers can be rather dry, Tim Russert was always enjoyable to watch. I will miss him.:(
 
Boo said:
His death is a loss to his profession. His presence and insights will be sorely missed as a part of what I consider to be the best group of people covering politics and the presidential race.


I realize that many do not share my opinion of him professionally, ...



Boo
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This confuses me as well. Why would people not share this opinion?
 
skeptigirl said:
This confuses me as well. Why would people not share this opinion?
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Because people are biased and have differing opinions of the relative merit of journalists. I personally think the majority of "journalists" at Fox news are hacks and a discredit to their profession. I'm quite sure there are people who feel the same way about Mr Russert.


I don't expect people to share my opinions and am aware that I may often hold a minority view point on many issues and regard for other people.




Boo
 
I didn't care for Russert's interviewer skills. I've no doubt he was smart and capable, but his interviews annoyed me. He always seemed to ask the same questions over and over when he clearly wasn't making any headway, or he would just skirt the issue altogether. I never saw him hold anyone's feet to the fire when they kicked back. I stopped watching him years ago.

Why is it taboo to speak ill of the dead again?
 
John_Geeshu said:
Why is it taboo to speak ill of the dead again?
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When someone very close to us dies, like a family member for example, people become very emotionally fragile.

I think the custom of not speaking ill of the recently deceased may have started out of respect for the emotional vulnerability of the bereaved.

Obviously the person who has died is not harmed.
 
I pretty much despise everything on MSNBC but Russert was the golden lining on that station.
 
Russert never made himself the story. It was always about the interviewee in his televised interviewers. That's what I like about him. To those who did not like Russert who feel the need to criticize him. There's nothing wrong with that. But you should at least feel sorry for him and his family for his passing.
 
John_Geeshu said:
I didn't care for Russert's interviewer skills. I've no doubt he was smart and capable, but his interviews annoyed me. He always seemed to ask the same questions over and over when he clearly wasn't making any headway, or he would just skirt the issue altogether. I never saw him hold anyone's feet to the fire when they kicked back. I stopped watching him years ago.
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I find this kind of bizarre. He insisted interviewees answer the question posed, but gave them time to frame it as they wanted. If there was still an outstanding point not answered he'd press again. His style was light-years ahead of a journalist with a clear bias who interrupts constantly or is there just to spin, or a mampy-pamby who has a list of prepared questions that he asks in order and never follows up on even if the interviewee completely dodged/spun the answer.

What you saw was him trying to hold their feet to the fire and them repeatedly fleeing instead of paying attention to the flesh-burns. But their waffling with him was a decent indication that their position was crap. And this was apparent to most viewers.

There's a good reason politicians from both sides were wary about going on Meet the Press. They weren't worried about stupid typical interviewer hijinks. They were worried that they hadn't thought their position through as well as they should have, and that Russert would call them on it.

Why is it taboo to speak ill of the dead again?
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It shouldn't be. Let all views on Russert be in this thread. I'm content that his death has received attention and response from every political spectrum to be satisfied with my view that he was a very objective journalist.

Personally I'm going to miss him in November, and the occasional Sunday morning when I'd be awake to watch.
 
Poor guy. Sure is a young age to die at these days. My condolences to his family and close friends.

I first heard about this while in the waiting room of my doctor's office. Fox News (Meh) was on the television, and Chris Wallace came on to give a eulogy to Russert.
 
I respect Russert. Like Ted Koppel, one of those rare interviewers that throws neither softballs nor self-serving zingers, but honest-to-gosh questions.

But gee whiz, the way CNN focused on him this afternoon you'd think he was a Kennedy or a missing teenager.
 
The saddest news I heard in a while. MTP never will be the same - and who will be able to replace him anyway?
 
WildCat said:
Just heard this on the news, the election won't be the same without him. Collapsed and died today at work.
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He was one of the most likeble ones on TV! Can't stand the dellusional idiot that kisses George W's ass, Bill Oreilly! Just always the way the good guys like Tim go down and people like O'Reilly just keep spreading their ********.

This is very sad to see, just a good guy always doing is job without being a jerk about it. I will miss him he was one of the greatest.
 
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I wrote:
Florida
Florida
Florida

on the dry-erase board in the kitchen in his honor. In the age of million dollar graphics, it was gratifying to see something so simple being used to get a point across.

He was one of the few living TV journalists I respected. His insight will be missed during the general election.
 
Truly, a great light among us, has gone out...

Tim Russert was a mainstay in my living room, on Sunday mornings. I miss him already, knowing tomorrow will be a little more empty, with his absense.

He offered a collective work that I highly recommend: "Wisdom of Our Fathers". I got it autographed, as a gift for my father. We've really enjoyed reading it together.

---

I wept as I read the report, detailing the manner in which he died.

Tim seemed like one of 'us', an "every-man" in tone, demeanor, attitude, and terminology.

Sincerely, I wish his family all the best in these times of woe.

*The Romans at a funeral would ask only one question, "Did this man live with passion?" Without blinking an eye, in reference to "TIM RUSSERT", 'I' would reply with a resounding "YES, he certainly did." May he now rest is peace.
 
I heard the news yesterday on NPR. Really brought me down after a nice discussion tearing down a new movement to present criticism of evolution in schools (or some such nonsense, basically, creationism). I really hoped it was a mistake.

I loved Meet the Press. I think my favorites were along the lines of "Well, this is what you had to say in a speech in 2004.." or "This is from an article in the Washington Post.." Here in South Bend, IN we were fortunate in that he made some appearances on the local news when he was in town, and even a couple pregame bits for Notre Dame football. He seemed like such a nice man, too.

Meet the Press may go on, but it will never be the same.
 
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