"If it's Sunday, it's 'Meet the Press"
Tim Russert ...
He was a Catholic,a family man, a professional journalist and a democrat in that order. With a reputation for being warm and well-prepared, he was also a fair man. Someone who looked at the opposition with respect. His questions were the ones you wanted to ask and many follow-up questions you had never considered. He was always cordial, yet turned into a pit bull with a bone the minute the interview began. After the interview, he resumed his cordial nature. It was no act: he believed in what he did and believed that he served a larger purpose as the host of what I normally call, “Meet the Depressed.”
He was a liberal democrat. A Jesuit-trained lawyer. An employee of that other great liberal democrat, Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan. The head of the NBC Washington Bureau and the moderator of Sunday’s Meet the Press.
There will be hours of remembrances and the details of his 58 years will be repeated endlessly. So I am not going to recount the details.
I am just going to remember that he differed with me on religion and politics and he was the type of liberal democrat who put our America over the petty party politics and manuevering that took place in front of his eyes. A man that I respected for both his lifestyle and accomplishments.
Tim Russert interviews Louis Farrakhan on "Meet the Press" in 1997. (Photo Courtesy of NBC.)
Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama speaks to Russert during a taping of "Meet the Press" in Indianapolis, Indiana, shortly before the primary there in May. (Photo Courtesy of NBC.)
Former White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan is interviewed by moderator Tim Russert during a taping of "Meet the Press" in June. (Photo Courtesy of NBC.)
Tim Russert (May 7, 1950 – June 13, 2008) Rest in Peace
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