America’s Premier Political Journalist,

"Explainer-In-Chief," Has Died

Kenosha, WI - 3 p.m. CST

But first. A vacationing ProConPundit was watching MSNBC when I got an e-mail from Paul Kroeger who informed me that Tim Russert died. I thought what a horrible thing to joke about. Just then, that most serious television sound began to play: The NBC Special Report music, which is also the theme song of Meet The Press. With that, a grim faced, tear-eyed Tom Brokaw appeared, my eyes welled and I gulped.

Tim Russert died in his office this afternoon, apparently of a heart attack, at age 58. Details are very sketchy at this point but it must have happened very quickly. NBC News is reporting that he was stricken at 3:25 p.m. EST. I got word of this just ten minutes later. Seems hard to imagine things happened that quickly.

Russert was first an attorney before becoming a journalist. He was the longest serving moderator of the longest running television program, Meet The Press. He was also the Washington Bureau Chief for NBC News and host of the Tim Russert Show on CNBC. He was a proud Irish-Catholic and devoted Buffalo Bills fan, clearly a man of great faith. Russert was also a one-time chief of staff to the late, great, Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan (D-NY).

I never miss Meet The Press. I usually have to record it and watch it later. My fondest memories of watching Meet The Press were during the years I lived in Washington, DC. It was during those years that I would watch it with my good friend and classmate, Ed Hanson. Ed sent a text message and e-mail shortly after Paul this afternoon. It was ten years ago that Ed and I shared Sunday mornings watching Meet The Press together. Ed was more conservative then and I was less. We enjoyed debating each other and have evolved through the years in directions different from where we started. Russert, however, stayed the same...reliable, steady and always putting politicians words on the screen. In recent years, I have enjoyed Russert’s phone interviews on MSNBC early in the morning. Often on the treadmill at the health club, I watch Morning Joe and, before that, Imus in The Morning. Those were new experiences for me to get in touch with a lot of Russert’s lighter side.

Much else will be said so I’ll cut to the chase. He was like no other. He annoyed me when he turned his back on Don Imus a year ago. Conservatives thought him too liberal. His own instincts and sensibilities were liberal but I never saw anyone get anything less than a thorough Russert grilling on Meet The Press.

This is a huge loss for American political journalism. Russert ran a more solid political show than anyone else. He was tough and fair and could pierce the pretense and pomposity of any politician. He did it as a shrewd lawyer but always did it with dignity and always, always, avoided the cheap shot.

Russert took over Meet The Press in 1991 at a time when it, and all of the Sunday morning shows were on the decline. He reinvigorated it and, as a result of that, the other networks and later cable stations improved–but never surpassed him.
He was the boss of all of the other political people on NBC and MSNBC, generally speaking. He was beloved by them and its hard to imagine how hard they’ll have to work to come close to the mark Russert delivered and mentored.

This is a terrible, unfathomable tragedy. I cannot imagine not having the benefit of Russert’s interviews and also, especially on election nights, enjoying his endless anecdotal stories of politics and politicians. Even watching this, one can’t help but think as different people come on the air to speak that Russert will be on and give us the straight scoop. What a void.

Sen. Joe Lieberman, (ID-CT), gave Russert perhaps his best title today: EXPLAINER-IN CHIEF. Heartfelt prayers and deepest sympathies go out to Maureen and Luke Russert, and, of course, his greatest role model, Big Russ.

If it's Sunday, it's Meet The Press.

In Respected Memory
Timothy John Russert, Jr.
May 7, 1950-June 13, 2008

An Irish Proverb

May dawn find you awake and alert,

approaching your new day with dreams,

possibilities, and promises.
May evening find you gracious and fulfilled.
May you go into the night blessed, sheltered, and protected.
May your soul calm, console, and renew you.