RIP Tim Russert...

[Steak Snabler]

My God, hearing Andrea Mitchell is just killing me, especially since she kept referring to him in the present tense. She's just going to lose it the second she gets off the air.

My heart goes out to his family. As an only child who just lost her father, I am just so sad for his son.

Perhaps I sound morbid, but I really regret missing Brokaw and Mitchell's emotion-filled segments.

I missed Brokaw live. Someone posted the YouTube link upthread.

Brokaw announces Russert's death ...

 

[spup1122]

And maybe the networks learned something from that. I also think you'll see more than a mention on the evening newscasts tonight.

I know CNN is having a special Larry King Live tonight about Tim Russert. I think you may see a lot of that. I could be wrong, and I have no idea what CBS is planning (I'm not at work tonight), but I think there will be more than a mention.

 

[prhack]

Not to diminish in any way Russert's importance as a newsman, but I guess when I think of breaking into a regular network broadcast (not cable news channels) I think of more momentous stories than this one.

To me, the coverage harkens back to a day when TV newsmen were bigger than the networks for which they worked. In a day when talking heads are a dime a dozen, Tim Russert was "Mr. Election Night" for many. My wife, who doesn't pay a great deal of attention to such things, immediately referenced the famous dry-erase board.

In my mind, Tim Russert represented a comforting presence during some pretty tense election nights, and he will be missed.

 

[Armchair_QB]

I think it says something about the stature of the guy professionally when CBS, ABC, CNN and Fox News are breaking into coverage and reporting the hell out of this. Quite a tribute IMO.

 

[Italian_Stallion]

I will always remember that I was at the Star Island Resort in Kissimmee when Tim Russert died. The wife came outside to tell me. I nearly dropped my beer. I had been talking to my best friend, a kid I've known since third grade, when I heard it.

I was telling my friend how I didn't want to die young, that I got a wake-up call when I saw someone just 10 years older than me who is struggling with diabetes and a host of other illnesses. I remember how this friend compared me to this other person. I was about to tell him that comparison is why I have lost 70 pounds since February. The next bowl of Egg Beaters is in honor of Tim Russert and Big Russ.

 

[Simon_Cowbell]

In case you missed it, like I did.

RIP.

I was expecting him crying.

He held it together incredibly.

NBC lucky they can still fall back on him.

 

[budcrew08]

Very heart-wrenching news.


RIP Tim... NBC News will be a little bit less without your presence.

Heaven must have needed a top-notch newsman.

 

[spup1122]

Chuck Todd is killing me. He looks like he is barely holding it together enough to be on air.

 

[Simon_Cowbell]

That means NBC has lost two of its major talents to embolism.

Bloom had been cooped up on that tank, I wonder if that flight from Rome yesterday had anything to do with this one.

 

[budcrew08]

Chuck Todd is killing me. He looks like he is barely holding it together enough to be on air.

Keith Olbermann on MSNBC is struggling too.

 

[sportshack06]

Olbermann is about to lose it.

 

[hondo]

Chuck Todd is killing me. He looks like he is barely holding it together enough to be on air.

Keith Olbermann on MSNBC is struggling too.

Poor Keith. He and Chris Matthews are such incredible lightweights in comparison to Russert's professionalism, class and knowledge. It's amazing all were employed by the same network. At least they got the rotation right. Keep Russert on NBC, and relegate those two schlubs to MSNBC, which might have ratings in the negative, if possible.

I loved Russert. Absolutely loved him. This is even more of a tragedy when you realize that given good health, this guy had about 4-5 more election cycles left in him. TV journalism lost a giant at a time when it could ill-afford, given the idiots with mikes that populate the biz.

 

[pseudo]

Wall-to-wall on the NBC affiliate in Buffalo, of course, and there are reports that Mayor Brown has ordered the flags in the city lowered to half-staff.

And this, from "his" team:
“The Buffalo Bills organization is devastated in hearing the news of the passing of Tim Russert. Tim, as everyone knows, was a tremendous Bills fan. He was always so proud to let people know just how much he loved our team and was such a great ambassador for Buffalo. So many times he ended his “Meet The Press” show with his patented “Go Bills!” that it became part of our Game Day morning rituals. He was a true friend and we will miss him immensely. Our sincere sympathies go out to his family and our team carries a heavy heart tonight as we mourn the loss of this great man, Buffalo’s native son and a Bills fan forever.”

 

[Chi City 81]

Chuck Todd is killing me. He looks like he is barely holding it together enough to be on air.

Keith Olbermann on MSNBC is struggling too.

Poor Keith. He and Chris Matthews are such incredible lightweights in comparison to Russert's professionalism, class and knowledge. It's amazing all were employed by the same network. At least they got the rotation right. Keep Russert on NBC, and relegate those two schlubs to MSNBC, which might have ratings in the negative, if possible.

I loved Russert. Absolutely loved him. This is even more of a tragedy when you realize that given good health, this guy had about 4-5 more election cycles left in him. TV journalism lost a giant at a time when it could ill-afford, given the idiots with mikes that populate the biz.

Only you could turn this thread into an anti-liberal media bash. Keep on truckin', hondo.

 

[budcrew08]

They are interviewing Barbara Walters on MSNBC, for those who aren't watching.

 

[21]

Chuck Todd is killing me. He looks like he is barely holding it together enough to be on air.

Keith Olbermann on MSNBC is struggling too.

Poor Keith. He and Chris Matthews are such incredible lightweights in comparison to Russert's professionalism, class and knowledge. It's amazing all were employed by the same network. At least they got the rotation right. Keep Russert on NBC, and relegate those two schlubs to MSNBC, which might have ratings in the negative, if possible.

I loved Russert. Absolutely loved him. This is even more of a tragedy when you realize that given good health, this guy had about 4-5 more election cycles left in him. TV journalism lost a giant at a time when it could ill-afford, given the idiots with mikes that populate the biz.

Only you could turn this thread into an anti-liberal media bash. Keep on truckin', hondo.

Can you pick a fight on another thread?

Agree with Hondo completely, Olbermann and Matthews ARE lightweights compared to Russert's class and experience, as are most other political talkers around the businessm regardless of political leanings.

I stuck with msnbc's election coverage because of Russert, absolutely. I'll probably switch back to CNN now.

 

[hondo]

Chuck Todd is killing me. He looks like he is barely holding it together enough to be on air.

Keith Olbermann on MSNBC is struggling too.

Poor Keith. He and Chris Matthews are such incredible lightweights in comparison to Russert's professionalism, class and knowledge. It's amazing all were employed by the same network. At least they got the rotation right. Keep Russert on NBC, and relegate those two schlubs to MSNBC, which might have ratings in the negative, if possible.

I loved Russert. Absolutely loved him. This is even more of a tragedy when you realize that given good health, this guy had about 4-5 more election cycles left in him. TV journalism lost a giant at a time when it could ill-afford, given the idiots with mikes that populate the biz.

Only you could turn this thread into an anti-liberal media bash. Keep on truckin', hondo.

You're too paranoid. I merely pointed out that Russert was the five-tool player on the parent club while Olberman and Matthews are the career minor-leaguers. The flaws of Olberman and Matthews were enhanced by being in the same media company as Russert -- including their obvious bias, stacked against the incredible fairness and professionalism of Russert.

 

[budcrew08]

One of the parts of this that is so incredible is that he was on vacation in Italy, and flew back early to the States to prepare for Meet the Press.. and collapsed at work. He died doing what he loved to do...

And not to beat the horse, but all hondo is saying is that Russert was above and beyond, in his opinion, of Matthews and Olbermann...

 

[D-3 Fan]

WGRZ is interviewing Brokaw. As Tom is, he is eloquent and classy in his rememberance.

He told of a joke Tim and him played on Maureen. They did a prank call in which they told her that Luke was invited by Tom DeLay to speak at a youth conference. Maureen went ballistic for 30 minutes, until they finally told her it was a hoax.

Great story.

 

[Chi City 81]

And not to beat the horse, but all hondo is saying is that Russert was above and beyond, in his opinion, of Matthews and Olbermann...

A profound statement, no doubt. And something that could be said, without argument, on every political thread dealing with the media. This was not the thread for it. That was my point.