Friday, June 13, 2008

Tim Russert

passes suddenly this afternoon, while preparing his Sunday telecast:

"He worked to the point of exhaustion so many weeks," Brokaw said, adding: "This news division will not be the same without his strong, clear voice."

Brokaw said Russert had just returned from a family trip to Italy with his wife, writer Maureen Orth. They were celebrating the graduation of their son, Luke, from Boston College this spring, Brokaw said.


I wasn't much of a fan of Russert's any more. Though he began his political career as an aide to Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan, he long ago became a conservative in the interests of "objectivity", and the praise for his interviewing skills has been similarly lost on me. I often saw a mollycoddler for the Bush administration's flacks and lickspittles, after the years of watching him focus on Bill Clinton's private parts.

The accolades roll in today but I see the all-channel tributes as something over the top for a TV reporter.

Condolences to his family (and I hope they give the Press the Meat gig to David Gregory ONLY so that Rachel Maddow gets the 5 p.m. slot on MSNBC).

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