Yes, Marko, Tim was a newscaster. But not just any newscaster. Have you been watching anything political on TV the past 20 years? Tim was the last of the Mohicans when it comes to the intelligent, informed, you-ain't-gonna-get-away-without-answering-the-question type of interviewing. It should be of no surprise at all to anyone who seriously watches and analyzes the media coverage of politics in general that Tim's death has received this type of response. But to say that it compares to the coverage of the death of Princess Diana is simply stupid. I was in Pittsburgh, Pa. the night of Diana's death in 1997, and just this year (11 years later) they were still investigating the wreck that caused her untimely demise. Next year at this time, we shall all have moved on and although we will never forget Tim and all that he meant to us, I know full well that there will not be the scrutiny continuing at that time that is yet ongoing in the case of Diana, for example. Wisenheimer, are you off your rocker? The fact is simply that Tim had a heart attack, that he was loved deeply by all who appreciate good, honest journalism (as opposed to the likes of Fox News) and that those who will miss him are having a few days of mourning and commentary on such a profound individual and a consummate professional and family man. So chill out dude...and have a little respect for the deceased for a few days. It'll be over soon. OK?

Wisenheimer, you are a very scary, dangerous person to concoct such ridiculous conspiracy theories. Please shut up.

I agree with this guy: Posted by: Wisenheimer | June 16, 2008 3:54 PM

All of Iowa is under water and a NEWSCASTER gets most of the headlines. What a waste.... OK, he died and we should be sensitive to that but the coverage was RIDICULOUS!

People.... He was a NEWSCASTER!

tim russert is the high bar that all journalists should aspire to reach. ive been following politics and the one person i trust to explain it all away for me would be tim. weather it would be stumbling in after a night of partying,working or getting up and gearing up for a afternoon of football, his show was must see tv. if anything he was CC before he was CC.

my opinon on replacing him? well no one should, either have a rotating guest host or just cancel it. anyone that replaces russert is only a pale shadow of the real thing.

rest in peace tim, im sure you have a exclusive interview with jesus lined up already!

Russert is gone. Meet depressed.

You would think 9/11 had just happened all over again....

I knew the "heart attack" excuse was a line of crap when I heard it. They had him moved and autopsied too fast. He died at 3:30pm on a friday afternoon just before Father's Day. How much more dramatic can you make it? Nothing has been said about a funeral. Hillary of all people has had the least to say about his passing. Even Cheney said more in his typical "the little people are worthless, useless eaters" attitude. Cheney is such a condenscending piece of work.

I have never seen in 50 years ANYONE get the attention Russert is getting for having died. No politician, president, criminal, pope, nobody. No one has been able to shut down news for 3 days and running because they died. John Lennon, Robert Kennedy, John Kennedy, Franklin Roosevelt, Pope John, PRINCESS DIANA never got this kind of attention. This is extremely unusual. Why if Walter Cronkite died right now I don't think he would get the attention and he is supposed to be the greatest newsman that has ever lived on the face of this earth. That is according to some people.

The fact that the powers that be are allowing Russert to be elevated to near diety level is typical when something more nefarious has been done and they are letting the people lick their wounds and get caught up in the emotion of the moment. I would not be surprised if Russert doesn't reach SAINT status in the catholic church.

To hear everyone talk, he never said a bad word, never had a bad thought, was always kind to women, children and small animals and never thought about himself. He never lied, cursed or was mean or evil. He was truly immortal - IF you listen to everyone talking. No one living is that perfect.

Look at what is happening here and ask yourselves what is really going on that is not being reported on.

Does it matter who they get to replace him? If it was left up to me (which it isn't) I would pick David Shuster just because he had the balls to say on national television that the Clinton regime was "pimping out" daughter Chelsea. That act alone should give Shuster juice in the news arena. No one else had the nerve to do it. Chris Matthews is too intense, Andrea too soft spoken, David Gregory too.......complacent. Keith too outspoken and adversarial and the rest of them too unsuited for the job.

Joe Scarborough reminds me of Rosie O'Donnell and her phoney crush for Tom Cruise...he is the same way with Hillary being his "girlfriend". He barely can make it to his own show with all the time he is taking off right now....just coming back from a month off the air (by the way we were never given a REALl reason why, but on close inspection it looks like he has had a face lift and his hair dyed).

The way I see it I would look to Hillary first since she had the greatest reason for wanting Tim "gone" because he called the race and he didn't call it in her favor, which the Clinton regime is famous for the people they have had eliminated from this world (Vince Foster being the last one publicly identified as a casualty).

Then I would look at Dick Cheney because he has reason for wanting him "gone" because of Scott McClellan's book and the Scooter Libby investigation starting back up and we all know how busy Mr Cheney is with diaper changing & bottle feeding of George Bush in the last days of his empirical reign.

Tim Russert didn't just fall over dead....he had help.

Russert knew the score in Washington and he knew the players and the life expectancy of those who don't go along and get along......someone did not like him....or maybe Tim was just tired of breathing.

First, my blessings to you all. Tim Russert's expert role as a journalist on Meet the Press inspired me as an American citizen, teacher, and mother. Tim brought to his show a huge variety of big-gun political figures in his career, but the most unique dynamic was his true heart and soul that shined in our family home via our television every Sunday morning. Growing up I was taught that there are two things you should never talk about: politics and religion. I always disagreed with this statement, and I always think of Tim Russert when I make my argument. I think of how he discussed politics with passion, interest, and education. I always thought, "It is our role as citizens to discuss these issues like politics, policy, religion, and cultural diversity. And in what better way to educate and think than to discuss them like Tim Russert---calm, cool, and collected." I always thought of Mr. Russert when my high school students create their own opinions of politics and candidates. As Mr. Russert would, I try to remind them to do their research, their "homework", before they voice their thoughts. Tim Russert's intelligence and talent has made me a better American. I have been educated because of him, from aspects as simple as the electoral votes to the complex issues and policies of war. I can't wait for this year's election, as I will try my best as a citizen to listen to others, do my research, choose a candidate, and get myself to the polls to vote in this historical election. And as I punch my ticket or electronically cast my vote, I will be thinking of Tim Russert and his American pride on a glorious day. I am not certain who will read this e-mail, if anyone, but again, to the Russert Family, the NBC Family, my thoughts, prayers, and gratitude. Thank you so very much for sharing Tim Russert with me, as my Ambassador of Political Education and symbol of American pride.

I'm no fan of the mainstream media, but I always liked Russert. He was fair. He asked the tough questions of both sides. He never overshadowed the guests. He was a lawyer and had excellent cross-examination skills. Despite the tough questions, he came across as genuine and likeable. He can't be replaced, but my suggestion for a successor is Chris Wallace, who has similar skills. But I'm sure NBC considers him poison because he's on Fox.

My heart is a bit lighter after reading the posts of persons who know politics and the reporting of it as factual.

NBC/MSNBC is, indeed, the polar opposite of FOX which is the channel most of you are surely comfortable with. I am NOT.

MSNBC/NBC is where I go for political news, punditry. Chris, Keith and others have the same right and privilege of political philosophy as I do.

Tim was registered as an Independent and so is Chris who grew up as a Republican.

Yes, it is obvious to me - I am a Catholic - that both Tim and Chris are Catholic. Our political views reflect our religious views including that ALL religions are respected.

Meet the Press with Tim Russert was the best including going back to Walter Kronkite who was more austere than I enjoyed. Yes, Kronkite was an honest broker and I admired and respected him.

Tim is in a category of his own. I grieve for the loss of this wonderful person.

Even more, I grieve for some of the persons I have read on this blog...pitiful to have this mindset. It is scary for our country.

Hillary and Bill Clinton? They have been treated very well but honestly. The coverage by NBC/MSNBC was - for the most part - 'Right on.'

My view of them was much more negative than anything I heard on these channels from anyone. In fact, I was often frustrated that the facts were not discussed as much as it should have been.
They were treated gently when they did not deserve it, in my opinion.

May Tim's soul rest in peace.

I always felt that Tim Russert was an honest broker (a sentiment that has been shared by most who have eulogized him this weekend).

He was formed by the Catholic and legal educations he received and his early political career with Sen. Moynihan and Gov. Cuomo. But while Russert was shaped by the Catholic religion and the Democratic Party, he maintained - better than anybody currently on television - a high level of objectivity and fairness.

My favorite assessment about Russert this weekend referred to him as a "partisan of truth". Russert was trying to get politicians to put their views on the record. It was thereafter the job of others to dissect those views and form opinions and judgments.

But I most especially appreciated the civility in which Russert conducted his interviews and panels. Rarely was there the invective and pejorative and interruptions which dominate cable news today.

Russert's steady hand will be sorely missed, especially in this era of corporate news and the tendency to overreach.

Russert was THE best in his profession. And while others may fill his chair, none can fill his shoes.

The Huffington Post / 09-01-07: "Since the Dem debate a few days ago a lot of people have understandably been taking shots at Tim Russert for his often small-minded 'gotcha' questions and his constant references to Bill Clinton. Some Hillary backers are seething about Russert; indeed, in a conference call with big donors, Hillary pollster Mark Penn and other supporters repeatedly griped about Russert's approach, with one supporter saying that he 'should be shot.' It's worth noting, however, that there's a long history here. Russert has been trying to catch out Hillary with 'gotcha' questions about Bill and other things for years now - in fact, his efforts to do this date all the way back to Hillary's first Senate campaign in 2000. And then, as now, the Hillary folks were mighty pissed off with him. The bad blood goes way back:" http://theseedsof9-11.com

The Huff Post is to the left of the Kennedys.

Sorry Russert died.

Some pretty poor lists are coming down about who should replace Russert. I wanted to see the far left's, so I went to the print media's No. 1 pro-Obama spinners, The Huffington Post. I'm a liberal, but have no respect for the "journalism" of that publication. The Huffington bloggers' list is just what you'd suspect. Very scary. They chose personalities form the worst of the history of NBC and MSNBC. If you want to know which OTHER journalists are biased for Obama, check The Huffington Post any time. By the way, NO journalist should be biased for ANY candidate. The only thing worse than a biased journalist is a self-serving egomaniac. The H Post likes that type, too. They want a woman as new Meet the Press moderator, but that's the only thing they're right about. A stopped clock is right twice a day.

We need an unbiased, brilliant, serious, accomplished journalist to take Meet the Press in a strong and fair direction.

"What I saw disappointed me. What I saw recently about him especially bothered me. He simply lacked the neutrality. He took sides. He did hatchet and hit work. He did political bidding for who he favored. That can be said about the entire network he worked for and most others like Steve Capps, Brian Williams, Andrea Mitchell, Keith Olbermann and others did the same attacks, spins and hit-work in the name of journalism. But these people pretend that they are "news reporters and journalists." But they are propegandists and publicists working for politicians in exchange for future favors and access. He's was much like another Bill O'Riely. And all these people are part of the corrupt, self-congratulating, self promoting, crooked American institution called Washington Media Establishment. These individuals have diminished and if not destroyed the most critical role of the "free press" must play in a democracy such as ours. Tim Russert was part of that crookedness. We all know that Tim Rissert went after Sen. Hillary Clinton with vengeance and determination cut her down, diminish her. In fact NBC's own SNL satirized Russert's nastiness!"

Another excellent, and pointedly honest account about the nastiness and arrogance of Tim Russert, masquerading as honest journalism. But of course, Cilizza can't see that, because, like Russert, he is Catholic, so they stick together like glue, right?

"Why ever would you ask your readers to keep their comments positive? Because of fear of death, that's why. Our culture tells us not to speak ill of the dead.
Russert was a most interesting journalist. But in the view of this journalist, not a very good one. An affable, smiling man, he nevertheless seemed more driven by his own ego than a journalist's search for the truth. He was the past master of gotcha journalism.
And his religiosity was cloying to a non-theist. More than once he declined to answer letters from prominent secularists asking him to present opposing views on the subject of religion, a topic he seemed to relish.
Russert was obviously a good man in many ways, and we need more of his kind. But we need no more of his kind of journalist."

I couldn't agree more with the above comments-Russert was an arrogant, overly wealthy yacking TV personality, elevated to the status of God, he wasn't a good journalist, only egotistical, very very egotistical, as all the inside the Beltway journalists tend to be.

I notice that Ciliezza removed posts on this blog that were anything less than adoring, anything less than wailing and beating the breasts for the god Russert kind of post.

That sure as hell doesn't say much for YOUR journalistic integrity, Ciliezza.

Further troubling information about Russert's apparently showboat-y, too many outside interests to be a good doctor internist-DR. MICHAEL NEWMAN. DC:

From Wikipedia:

"Russert's long time "friend" and physician, Dr. Michael Newman, said that he had asymptomatic coronary artery disease that was controlled with medication and exercise and that he had performed well on a stress test in late April. An autopsy performed on the day of his death determined that his history of coronary artery disease led to sudden cardiac death with the immediate cause being an occlusive coronary thrombus in the left anterior descending artery, resulting from a ruptured cholesterol plaque."

FIRST PROBLEM: An internist who is a "long time friend" IS NOT WHAT YOU WANT, BECAUSE THAT CROSSES BOUNDARIES ABOUT DUTIES TO THE PATIENT AND BEING A FRIEND WHERE YOU DON'T WANT TO GET TOO INSISTENT OR INTRUSIVE WITH YOUR "PATIENT/FRIEND" ABOUT A COURSE OF TREATMENT-THAT'S TROUBLE SIGN NO. 1 WITH NEWMAN.

TROUBLE SIGN NUMBER 2: From the website www.physicians for human rights.org:

Advocate and Mentor

"Michael Newman is a practicing internist in Washington, D.C., but he doesn't confine his expertise to office hours. Dr. Newman has been a staunch supporter of human rights and PHR for nearly two decades.:

"As a long-time member of PHR's Asylum Network, Dr. Newman has evaluated, treated and assisted numerous survivors of torture and other human rights violations and provided medical evidence to substantiate claims of torture and abuse at asylum hearings.

In addition to evaluating asylum seekers himself, he serves as a mentor to health professionals who are new to the Asylum Network."

CONCLUSION? ADMIRABLE, DR. NEWMAN, BUT HAVE YOU EVER THOUGHT THAT IT MIGHT BE A REAL GOOD IDEA TO IN FACT CONFINE YOUR "EXPERTISE" TO OFFICE HOURS ONLY?
I WANT A GOOD FULL TIME INTERNIST, NOT SOMEONE FARTING AROUND WITH ALL THESE OTHER ISSUES, SOMEONE WHO DOESN'T HAVE THE TIME TO KEEP UP WITH THE LATEST IN MEDICAL TREATMENTS, ETC. AND PATIENTS HEALTH HISTORIES. IT SOUNDS STRONGLY LIKE YOU WERE WAY TOO BUSY WITH YOUR EXTRACURRICULAR INTERESTS TO PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR DAY JOB PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES! DOING HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUES IS FINE, BUT WHEN DOES A GOOD INTERNIST WHO CARES ABOUT BEING A GOOD DR. TO HIS PATIENTS HAVE TIME TO DO ALL THAT? THE ANSWER IS THEY DON'T. SO THIS TELLS ME RIGHT HERE THAT NEWMAN SOUNDS LESS THAN FULLY COMMITTED TO HIS JOB, WHICH IS NOT A GOOD SIGN FOR HIS PATIENTS.

TROUBLE POINT NO. 3-NOTE WHAT DR. NEWMAN (WHO BY THE WAY, SEEMS TO REALLY LOVE AND WANT TO BE IN THE SPOTLIGHT, LIKE HIS FAMOUS "FRIEND" RUSSERT)-SAID AFTER RUSSERT'S AUTOPSY-HE SAID "HE HAD PERFORMED WELL ON HIS STRESS TEST."

UH, DR. NEWMAN, DID YOU EVER THINK OF ORDERING A HEART SCAN ON RUSSERT, GIVEN THAT HE HAD CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE? OR WERE YOU TOO BUSY WITH SEXY HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUES TO NOTICE YOUR PATIENT' NEEDS? WELL, READ THIS, SINCE YOU SEEM TO BE TOO BUSY TO CARRY OUT YOUR JOB RESPONSIBILITIES PROPERLY!

From the book "Track your Plaque"

Can cholesterol tell you whether you have hidden plaque lining your coronary arteries?

No. Cholesterol does not tell you whether or not coronary plaque is present. It's just one among many causes of coronary plaque. Can you have a heart attack with low cholesterol? Absolutely. Can you have high cholesterol yet survive to age 95 with 18 great-grandchildren and never have a stitch of heart disease? No doubt about it.

How about stress tests? Don't they detect hidden coronary plaque?

No, again. Stress tests are a measure of blood flow to the heart, abnormal only when flow is substantially reduced. Blockages occupying 80-90% of the diameter of arteries are detectable on a stress test. The problem is that 90% of people with hidden (asymptomatic) coronary plaque will have entirely normal stress tests--yet are still at risk for heart attack. In fact, most people fated to suffer heart attack in the next year have normal stress tests.

That's what heart scans do--DETECT CORONARY ARTERY PLAQUE better, faster, and easier than any other test available.

"We now know that 95% to 99% of the heart disease occurs at sites WITHOUT artery narrowing. Thus, the old tests we perform to detect narrowing and blockages have really misled us. We miss over 95% of the heart disease that causes heart attacks."

Dr. Steve Nissen
The Cleveland Clinic

IN SUM NEWMAN SOUNDS LIKE ONE LOUSY, MAYBE EVEN NEGLIGENT DR., AND IF I WERE THE RUSSERTS, I'D BE GETTING TR'S MEDICAL RECORDS FROM HIS "FRIEND" AND HAVING A GOOD MED MAL LAWYER LOOK IT OVER FOR LEGAL ACTION. RUSSERT SHOULD BE ALIVE TODAY, AND IF HE HAD a REAL INTERNIST, I KNOW HE WOULD BE, BECAUSE THE FIRST THING A GOOD

YA! Basta! Enough about Tim Russert. Why do all so called reporters have to remember Tim Russert along with his uneven & unfair picks of Presidential nominees for the past 8 years. These accolades from so- called journalist are a pat on the back for each of 'em which doesn't impress me any. Just wish we had real reporters in this country who don't have such inflated egos as seen amongst 'em! My condolences to his family but sorry on all this reporting about his character having nothing to do with how most saw him as a journalist. Please get on with world news for a change & stop this journalism idolization 'cos I doubt Russert would even like it!

When we found out about Tim's passing, there was profound sadness in our house; he was "our" political analyst. We could always count on Tim to explain what we needed to know in a simple, down-to-earth manner. After listening to the Today Show yesterday that was dedicated to his life, I realized that he was not just a great newsman, but he was also a great man. So I wrote a post called "Leadership Lesson From Tim Russert" in my Customer Experience Matters blog (http://experiencematters.wordpress.com/).

There's an old line in journalism that may apply to those critiquing Tim Russert about bias.

"Don't blame the messenger for the message."

Journalists sometimes are lousy. But journalism as a whole, even the best, will ALWAYS be critiqued because it involves the truth. People don't like the truth. They like their own version of the truth, especially with 1000s of blogs and media outlets ready to suit every individual taste.

When supporters of XYZ candidate are confronted with a truth about their candidate that makes them uncomfortable, they attack the journalist for bringing it forth rather than for taking a hard look at their candidate and themselves instead.

We're living in a world with an array of alternative universes in which everyone lives within their own version of the truth.

Tim Russert did a better job than most of drawing out the truth, trying to create a common universe (even within the conflicting words of the guests themselves) testing his guests, and forcing them to state their views in the most consistent and truthful way possible.

I believe it's true that MSNBC in particular took a liberal slant and even a pro-Obama slant over the last months. Russert did appear with Keith Olbermann and Chris Matthews on election coverage. I haven't watched all of that enough to be able to state definitively from my perspective whether or not he was drawn into their biases. I'll leave that for others to hash out.

I do think, however, that on Meet the Press he really was impartial.

I am so saddened by some of the comments that I see here today. No one is perfect but I believe Tim Russert tried his very best every day to cover politics fairly and honestly. Most of all, without someone like him, those who hold true power would continue to stonewall and breeze past softball questions. I respect Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama and John Mccain and they all deep down respected Tim Russert. Unfortunately the outcome in the primaries did not favor Hillary, but I can't believe she would want her supporters dancing on a person's grave. Anyone who believes in God cannot get joy out of demonizing someone in death.

In my view Tim was a giant among regular men. He did not let anyone spin MTP. His questions took every guest off their stump speech and held them accountable to how they really governed 'we the people'. And we listened, and learned, and laughed, and yelled and basked in the glory of being in the same America as Tim. The same one that shows the brillance of the founding fathers' Constitution every day.

I'm deeply deeply saddened by his passing. I just hope my own generation just 15 years younger can live up to the standards he set for himself. Thanks Tim for caring and sharing. We'll miss you.

Ugh--Obama.
Ugh-Tim Russert, who lost all of his credibility when he shilled for a particular candidate (BO) this cycle.

He wanted BO because he wanted the "historic" story, but it would have been MORE historic if it was a woman elected. A completely different set of parts, and way of thinking.
What's so historic about Obama? Because his SKIN is black? So?
The fact is, he's still a man, and down deep, Russert and his gang at NBC and MSNBC couldn't handle it being a woman in the White House.
Real men aren't afraid of a woman as leader of the free world.
'nuff said.

Am sorry for his kid and his dad though.

Time Russert was the consummate professional, fair and direct! Watching him gave you a better understanding of the issues as well as the people he was interviewing! His commentary before, during and after the debates was striking in its candor and professionalism. Having watching MTP for 10 years, I would make sure that I was up every Sunday to catch what it was he was talking about (even last Sunday's 8 am show!!) He was an amazing personality who you could trust when he spoke. During my short life on this earth there has not been one TV personality that I felt I could completely trust, except for Mr. Russert. He never came across as having an agenda and he never did "gotcha" journalism. I am sure his family & the NBC family will miss him, but so will the millions of people that he touched simply by going on TV each Sunday and doing what he did best! Mr. Russert, thank you for touching my life. Now, I can just imagine the MTP roundtable you will be performing in heaven!! Thank you, thank you very much sir!! You will be missed.....

Ugh--Obama.
Ugh-Tim Russert, who lost all of his credibility when he shilled for a particular candidate (BO) this cycle.

He wanted BO because he wanted the "historic" story, but it would have been MORE historic if it was a woman elected. A completely different set of parts, and way of thinking.
What's so historic about Obama? Because his SKIN is black? So?
The fact is, he's still a man, and down deep, Russert and his gang at NBC and MSNBC couldn't handle that fact.
Real men aren't afraid of a woman as leader of the free world.
'nuff said.

Am sorry for his kid and his dad though.

Tim Russert was by far my favorite political journalist/analyst. To say he was sharp yet fair would simply be a tremendous understatement. I, along with millions of other viewers, will miss him sorely. As for his accurate and dead-on prediction after the N.C. and Indiana primaries regarding Obama essentially clinching the Dem nomination with those two victories, I had predicted the same thing much sooner than that. I told my wife and all my friends that Hillary was basically toast after Obama slaughtered her in the Iowa caucus. Think about it - Iowa is the whitest place on Earth this side of the North Pole!

That's right, blame anybody but NBC-MSNBC for it's unprecedentedly biased political coverage. If political reporters played any biased role, that's too much bias.

Now who would call themselves a Bloombuddy in a blog? As in Bloomberg? Obama talks about the billionaire for his VP. It's an Obama blogger. I guess we're all silly. NBC will let Obama pick the next Meet the Press anchor for consistency. McCain is doomed, just as was Hillary. I wondered what the Hillary attack was about because I'd just read the blogs and, generally, they weren't discussing Hillary.

I couldn't finish reading this page. Many of the comments sickened me, even if yesterday's coverage on MSNBC perhaps threatened to push me into a hyperglycemic coma, this is far, far worse.

Like everyone else, Tim Russert was a human being, with human faults and weaknesses. Not a saint, but not the "hatchetman" some who have called him.

And for pity's sake, PLEASE get over this Hillary nonsense! If you do the Math, you'll see that Russert was perfectly right in saying after Indiana and So. Carolina that Obama had the nomination wrapped up. I was a Hillary supporter, and I still think she would make a better President than Obama, but if you want to blame someone, blame Mark Penn for his badly flawed strategy!

But back to Russert. He was a great newsman, a great--and remarkably evenhanded--moderator of MTP, and I sincerely will miss him. He left us way too soon. I certainly hope that none of the terrible comments on this blog will be read by his family!

Incidentally, I also vote for Chuck Todd as--if not a replacement--the new moderator of MTP, but AFTER the election!

UPI just released a story saying NBC is considering oh-God-no Chris Matthews, David Gregory and Joe Scarborough to head Meet the Press. Guess nobody at NBC reads public reaction. America has said in the past 24 hours in hundreds of comments on this very Post story - NO to Chris and David. They are part of Russert's pro-Obama political team that is bringing NBC to its ethical knees.

Joe is OK and tries to be fair, but too right wing. NBC: the world is saying, we want nothing to do with your biased political team. We want nothing to do with MSNBC. Pick a real journalist from your real network who was not part of Russert's agenda. Read the comments below that have run for 24 hours. NBC has lost its political way. Don't give us more of the same people.

Anonymous (no guts),

"The moral of the Timm Russert story: hostility, woman-hating, meaness, nastiness, can kill you!"

I disagree strongly with your assessment of Russert. He was a hard-nosed reporter seeking to challenge everyone. But, I won't bother with that. The tone of your remarks match the same words you use about Russert.

Hostile
(Russert)-hating
Meanness
Can kill YOU!

I will miss Tim Russert so very much.My prayers goes out to his family. He was a sincerely honest person and we nneed more like him in our country.

I'm sorry Tim died and know he was a wonderful son and father, so I read.

But he abused his power to change the course of a US Presidential primary to satisfy his own wishes. A woman needs to head Meet the Press -- a woman who has nothing to do with Tim's Obama campaign of biased news. Eliminate the entire list of biased journalists already discussed by Americans in this blog. They truly are sad.

Sad. http://acropolisreview.com/2008/06/tim-russert-is-dead-at-58.html

I grew up watching Tim Russert on Meet the Press. As a college student and journalist, I attribute my passion for politics largely to the fact that I would get up and watch Russert grilling the most prominent politicians each Sunday morning. My mom, who has been a religious follower of the show for years, told me that the one thing she wanted me to do in life was be on Meet the Press.

Tim Russert was an inspiration, and one of the greatest political journalists of our time. He will be greatly missed.

Can supporting Barck Obama be bad for your health?

The moral of the Timm Russert story: hostility, woman-hating, meaness, nastiness, can kill you!

On Sundays my 92-year old father who has been about politics his whole life will invariably ask, "Did you see Russert this morning?"

In a town where there are so many shallow people, who are so ready to lavish false praise on others of their ilk, Russert's genuineness was evidenced the breadth of people who had virtually the same positive things to say about him over and over. The stories are all remarkably similar.

I feel sorry for those posters who fail to grasp that anybody interested in politics in this country who had a TV had a gift in him, and we were lucky to have had it for 17 years.

I'll miss him and so will my father.

I'm sad for Russert's family - but the the critical act of his career was his enabling of the Bush/Cheney rush to war

From the WaPo 1/2007

In Ex-Aide's Testimony, A Spin Through VP's PR

Flashed on the courtroom computer screens were her notes from 2004 about how Cheney could respond to allegations that the Bush administration had played fast and loose with evidence of Iraq's nuclear ambitions. Option 1: "MTP-VP," she wrote, then listed the pros and cons of a vice presidential appearance on the Sunday show. Under "pro," she wrote: "control message."

"I suggested we put the vice president on 'Meet the Press,' which was a tactic we often used," Martin testified. "It's our best format."
In Ex-Aide's Testimony, A Spin Through VP's PR

Flashed on the courtroom computer screens were her notes from 2004 about how Cheney could respond to allegations that the Bush administration had played fast and loose with evidence of Iraq's nuclear ambitions. Option 1: "MTP-VP," she wrote, then listed the pros and cons of a vice presidential appearance on the Sunday show. Under "pro," she wrote: "control message."

"I suggested we put the vice president on 'Meet the Press,' which was a tactic we often used," Martin testified. "It's our best format."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/...

(the link to the article was taken down from the WaPo server around mid-day today)

Time and again, Russert allowed Cheney unchallenged airtime to lie about Iraqi WMD and Iraqi links to Al Quaeda.

In court during the Scooter Libby trial, Russert acknowledged the extraordinary privileges of anonymity and pre-broadcast reveiw he afforded Cheney and his handlers.

I don't say this to knock the man. It's his legacy, and should be included in our rememberence of him. He made the choices he made, and was well-compensated in return

What is sad is not so much the death of Tim Russert who will be greatly missed, but the sick response from several little minds on the this web site. I guess when you have nothing, you take pleasure in the misfortune of others.

My best to the Russert family and his friends. While I did not always agree with Mr. Russert, my Sunday mornings will not be the same.

Too bad he didn't have Dr. Paul on -- Paul perhaps could've save his life.

Chris,
I too loved Tim Russert. I was compelled to write a piece about him yesterday

http://www.livebreatheanddie.com

He was a real person, never arrogant or pompous in any respect. He was grounded and had his priorities in exactly the right order. Very few in his profession, and certainly fewer who have reached that level of success, can claim those traits.

Tim always did his homework and did a great job of putting his guests in the hotseat. Despite this, he was fair and personable and let his guests know their appearance was appreciated.

Tim's quick wit, all-American outlook and humble demeanor will be sorely missed. It is hard to imagine that the network will be able to replace him with anyone possessing the same qualities.

He rose to the top of his profession, held a law degree and sat down with presidents and world leaders, but he was still a blue-collar regular kind of guy at heart.

I was shocked hearing the news of his premature departure. The millions of people in his extended family have lost a good friend and brother.

It sounds as if Russert completed taping of the Meet the Press episode that was planned for this Sunday, including Joe Biden.

Robert Novak is reporting that Joe Biden has been at the top of the list for VP in the inner circle. If that's true, perhaps Russert had the same information. Timely that he would have Biden on as an Obama supporter for his final would-be broadcast.

If I were Keith Olbermann, I would go down on my knees, with tears in my eyes, promising that I never do it again, promising to be a "truthful and respectable journlist," and publiclily beg Hillary Clinton for forgiveness, before the Goddess struck him down too, just like it happened to Tim Russert!

Posted by: | June 14, 2008 10:47 AM
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The entire NBC/MSNBC political team needs to scheduled a mass confession on Sunday.

May God Bless his family for their loss. He was a gifted and inspiring man.
http://youngdemocratsforchange.com

Katie Kuric is absolutely right!
Keith Olbamann is absolutely wrong, again.
And Tim Russert is dead!
Hillary Clinton doesn't want crooked journalists people like Tim Russert, Keith Olbermann or Maureen Dowd. These people belong to the same" lunatic fringe" likes of Rush Limbaugh, Bill O'Rielly and rightwing "nuts" littering the American media. Tim Russert did a great disservice to our country, to say the least! He was a big player in the corrupt "Washington Media establishment." I completely agree. Our media is full of corruption. This includes ABC, CBS, CNN, NPR, the New York Times, The Washington Post and many, many other news organizations, throughout the country. But Time Russert and his MSNBC and NBC stood out like sore thumb. Their relentless and shameful attacks on Sen. Hillary Clinton are one of the best examples, how one-sided, devious and corrupt the media is today. Unfortunately Senator Barack Obama has the beneficiary of such corruptions. If Sen. Obama really wants to reform anything all he has to do is look at his own supporters in the media, Tim Russert. Don't look else, Sen. Obama where if you want change, look at yourself, and look in your own back yard! This corrupt and devious group includes people like Tim Russert. People like him are trashing our journalistic standards. They masquerade as reporters of true events and purveyors of information and analysis but they are vicious political hatchet men for corrupt politicians like Barack Obama. This is a huge aberration to American sense of fair-play. This is what Scott McClellan was trying hard to say in his book. He referred to people like Russert as "Complacent Enablers." If you think Barack Obama is going to "change" you are sadly mistaken and Barack Obama has only benefited from such corruptions!

My Lord's strength be with your family during these troubling times, especially.

Rest in peace now, Tim. You have tapped into the hearts and minds of many, and you have accomplished so much. You are freed from your ailment, but you will be missed. We thank you for your contribution. We thank you for simply who you were.

To Tim Russert, who has definitely helped to set the standard. (Cheers) We acknowledge that there is only one you, Tim. We could only hope that one attempts to come close to delivering your style of work, with such energy and passion as you had. Thank you. God be with you.

My Lord's strength be with your family during these troubling times, especially.

Rest in peace now, Tim. You have tapped into the hearts and minds of many, and you have accomplished so much. You are freed from your ailment, but you will be missed. We thank you for your contribution. We thank you for simply who you were.

To Tim Russert, who has definitely helped to set the standard. (Cheers) We acknowledge that there is only one you, Tim. We could only hope that one attempts to come close to delivering your style of work, with such energy and passion as you had. Thank you. God be with you.

"I have a profound interest in American politics. But I can't be so hypocritical as to say good things about Tim Russert. As far as I am concerned he simply lacked sense of fairness to be a great American journalist. I know people are falling all over the place, telling this and that about Tim Russert. But I think people exaggerate his goodness for the most part to be nice to him at his death. And what's been said about him seemes is empty, sentimental fiction. I only saw him though a small window of MSNBC News and NBC's "Meet the Press" program. What I saw disappointed me. What I saw recently about him especially bothered me. He simply lacked the neutrality. He took sides. He did hatchet and hit work. He did political bidding for who he favored. That can be said about the entire network he worked for and most others like Steve Capps, Brian Williams, Andrea Mitchell, Keith Olbermann and others did the same attacks, spins and hit-work in the name of journalism. But these people pretend that they are "news reporters and journalists." But they are propegandists and publicists working for politicians in exchange for future favors and access. He's was much like another Bill O'Riely. And all these people are part of the corrupt, self-congratulating, self promoting, crooked American institution called Washington Media Establishment. These individuals have diminished and if not destroyed the most critical role of the "free press" must play in a democracy such as ours. Tim Russert was part of that crookedness. We all know that Tim Rissert went after Sen. Hillary Clinton with vengeance and determination cut her down, diminish her. In fact NBC's own SNL satirized Russert's nastiness! As far as I am concerned that's all I really remember about Tim Russert. I hope you know other good things about him, unfortunately, I don't.
I don't even quite know how I feel at his sudden death, but I want to offer my sympathies to his family".

============

I agree, as do several people I've talked to, with this assessment of Mr. Russert.
While he might have been a nice man to family and friends, the word we used to describe him was "hatchet man".
It's not really a career to be proud of when you spent your famous-ness to insult and tear others down.
I'm sure that in the political world he made and has plenty of enemies.
He showed his bias frequently, and that is not good journalism.

Chuck Todd, after Tim Russert; doing the same thing over and over excepting a differt result? Why can't we find an American journalist with fairness,intergrity and skill? If Chuck Todd is all we can think of America is in worse shape than you think!

To Tim Russert ...(cheers)

Rest in peace now, freed of your ailment.

May the strength of my Lord be with your family, especially during mourning of this significant loss.

Thank you Tim

I used to find these comment boards and blogs at the WP very much entertaining. I have slowly come to realize there are a lot of nutty and downright mean people who regularly post. It debases discussion, humor, or simply kills the spirit and tone of the moment. It has become an ugly place to be. This is my last public post at WP.

Thanks Chris, especially for the tee-shirt I received yesterday! Keep up the good work, all you WP guys.

If I were Keith Olbermann, I would go down on my knees, with tears in my eyes, promising that I never do it again, promising to be a "truthful and respectable journlist," and publiclily beg Hillary Clinton for forgiveness, before the Goddess struck him down too, just like it happened to Tim Russert!

I have a profound interest in American politics. But I can't be so hypocritical as to say good things about Tim Russert. As far as I am concerned he simply lacked sense of fairness to be a great American journalist. I know people are falling all over the place, telling this and that about Tim Russert. But I think people exaggerate his goodness for the most part to be nice to him at his death. And what's been said about him seemes is empty, sentimental fiction. I only saw him though a small window of MSNBC News and NBC's "Meet the Press" program. What I saw disappointed me. What I saw recently about him especially bothered me. He simply lacked the neutrality. He took sides. He did hatchet and hit work. He did political bidding for who he favored. That can be said about the entire network he worked for and most others like Steve Capps, Brian Williams, Andrea Mitchell, Keith Olbermann and others did the same attacks, spins and hit-work in the name of journalism. But these people pretend that they are "news reporters and journalists." But they are propegandists and publicists working for politicians in exchange for future favors and access. He's was much like another Bill O'Riely. And all these people are part of the corrupt, self-congratulating, self promoting, crooked American institution called Washington Media Establishment. These individuals have diminished and if not destroyed the most critical role of the "free press" must play in a democracy such as ours. Tim Russert was part of that crookedness. We all know that Tim Rissert went after Sen. Hillary Clinton with vengeance and determination cut her down, diminish her. In fact NBC's own SNL satirized Russert's nastiness! As far as I am concerned that's all I really remember about Tim Russert. I hope you know other good things about him, unfortunately, I don't.
I don't even quite know how I feel at his sudden death, but I want to offer my sympathies to his family.

To the poster Beth Martin at June 14, 2008 9:17 AM

Don't you think that the potential BRAIN DAMAGE TO OBAMA FROM COCAINE USE should be an issue in the campaign?

Former drug users experience all sorts of health problems, many times years after they have stopped using drugs.

Crack cocaine is know to put holes in people's brains and the fabric of their brain cells - Has Obama told us if he used regular cocaine or crack cocaine or both?

So Beth Martin, don't you think that these questions are a great deal more important than the one you bring up?

Thank you all for your consideration of this matter. Maybe we should get a cat-scan of Obama's brain to see if the cocaine has affected his ability to think clearly - I have my doubts to be honest - he may not be the same person who went to Harvard - from Harvard to William Ayers to Rev. Jeremiah Wright - with drug use along the way.

.

To the poster Beth Martin at June 14, 2008 9:17 AM

Don't you think that the potential BRAIN DAMAGE TO OBAMA FROM COCAINE USE should be an issue in the campaign?

Former drug users experience all sorts of health problems, many times years after they have stopped using drugs.

Crack cocaine is know to put holes in people's brains and the fabric of their brain cells - Has Obama told us if he used regular cocaine or crack cocaine or both?

So Beth Martin, don't you think that these questions are a great deal more important than the one you bring up?

Thank you all for your consideration of this matter. Maybe we should get a cat-scan of Obama's brain to see if the cocaine has affected his ability to think clearly - I have my doubts to be honest - he may not be the same person who went to Harvard - from Harvard to William Ayers to Rev. Jeremiah Wright - with drug use along the way.

.

NEWS FLASH

NBC ANNOUNCES WORDS OF WISDOM AND 37th&OSTREET WILL CO-HOST MEET THE PRESS

Obama camp in disarray

Axelrod said to be "livid" complains NBC is turning on him, says that he is personally hurt by decision.

Plouffe says NBC decision is "like a stab in the back from a close friend."

Michigan and Florida Voters Cheer Decision - Celebrations in the Streets of Lansing and Miami.

.

Tim Russert will be sorely missed.

I think Chuck Todd comes across really well and would be a great replacement for Tim Russert. His analysis of the numbers is always phenomenal. He doesn't come across vehement and partisan. He is a news junkie, which like Tim Russert, made the news so fun. And he most certainly works hard and does his research. You always feel you are drawn in by what Chuck Todd says. Chuck Todd always seems excited by politics and getting to the facts.

I think Chuck Todd would be phenomenal. He has than "non-phony" je ne sais quoi! That non-phony quality that Big Russ would approve of. I feel he has a similar quality to Tim. And he would provide interesting insight and questions as opposed to the hackneyed "phrase of the day" questions so many of the other journalists repeat all day. He is a thinker and MTP needs a thinker.

I did live in DC from 2004 until 2007 and then returned to Europe...While in your beatiful capital, I began to watch MTP and became hooked right away by Mr. Russert´s style and intelligence. After having left DC, I went on to watch MTP´s weekly netcasts. He was a great journalist, and many times I have wondered why we did not have anybody of his kind in Europe. I now think that free journalism like the one exercised by Mr. Russert marks the real difference between nominal and real democracies. My heartfelt condolences go to his family now.

Chris, thank you for your thoughtful, touching, and compassionate reflections of your experiences with Tim Russert. Since he, Tim Russert, can no longer explain, present, or clarify any of the thoughts shared here himself, we have only the observations of people who knew him to help us "get to know him better."

For those who choose to characterize Tim in any objectionable way, when he cannot confirm or contradict their charaterizations, I am truly saddened. They dishonor themselves by showing no compassion for the loss of those who loved him: his family, friends, and associates.

Comments such as yours, Chris, help the healing process with honor, respect, and truth both personally and professionally.

someone dies, and all the creeps can do is attempt to make witty, stupid, insipid, moronic political hay from it... and to godiswatching...
indeed he/she is and takes notes of idiotic non-prophets such as yourself...

another human being dies and instead of expressing prayers of hopes for his family, the lowest trash from the cesspool of human existence spouts drival...

shame on all of you!

RIP Tim

Should Cindy McCain's Brain Damage Be A Campaign Issue?

I don't know whether Americans care if the First Lady is mentally disabled - that's a question for McCain's pollsters. What I want to know is why McCain would even subject his poor wife to the rigors of a presidential campaign and worldwide scrutiny in the first place. The question speaks directly to McCain's personal cruelty and unbridled ambition.

Although the true extent of the brain damage has not been publicly disclosed, Cindy McCain's 2004 stroke is not a secret.

In a very flattering September 2007 interview in More, Paul Alexander wrote about the stroke damage:

"In conversation, she will occasionally have trouble remembering certain facts, especially from the recent past, and if you look closely you realize she cannot make her right hand into a complete fist, which has affected her handwriting, if not her ability to grasp a gearshift knob. "It's not bad," she says, describing the damage to her hand. "I can function. I have short-term memory loss. I can remember all the major details of my life, but I sometimes can't remember what happened last week."

I suspect that John McCain, viewed his wife's stroke more in terms of how it would affect his bid for the presidency than else.

From a January 2005 Larry King show:

"MCCAIN: I was the one at home that everyone came to to program their computers, fix their phones, do anything electrical, technical, anything on the computer. I can't get near it now. I'm overwhelmed by it.

And it's weird for me. And I might also say, I suffer from migraines also. And your last caller that called in -- and I just had an episode about a week and a half ago, where I didn't know, I thought I was having another stroke. It was a different kind of...

KING: Has the senator been very sympathetic?

MCCAIN: Yes. And I -- please don't -- let me explain that. He was very confused in the beginning. He didn't -- like everyone in the family, how could it happen to my wife? I'm 18 years older than she is. It doesn't happen to someone that's younger than you are. So on his behalf, I think he's trying to understand all this. It's a lot for him to take in."

In October 2007, Cindy McCain was hobbling around South Carolina as the result of a fall down in a Phoenix grocery store. Was her fall caused by her brain damage? Is the question any of our business?

Inevitably, the issue of the extent of Cindy McCain's brain damage will enter the public arena. So far, Mrs McCain has only had to field softballs lobbed at her by sympathetic journalists. Can the McCain campaign limit her public appearances to three-minute soundbites until November? I don' think so, not in today's political environment.

Why, Senator McCain, would you do this to your wife?

My first reaction was there is a God who abuse their power and authority. NBC/MSNBC marketed a GE product called Obama to the detriment of Hillary. I would have liked Chris Matthews to be the recipient of some godly punishment

Posted by: | June 14, 2008 7:15 AM

Sadly, what many, many people will remember about Tim Russert is how, in the past few months, he became the face of media bias and sexism in the Obama-Clinton contest. In interviews, his interrogative referential style became a parody of itself as petty "gotcha" questioning and nagging. His leadership in the echo chamber of sexism and partisanship of the NBC news/infotainment culture was sadly prominent, too.

In the past few months, Russert's famous fairness and decency seemed to give way as he became the face of gender disrespect and bias in political media. His influence was so key, and since he was conscious of that, it's hard to believe that he didn't depart from his longstanding principles of balance on purpose.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
My thoughts and prayers go out to his family. Sadly it makes you wonder what is going on these past few days - Obama Network News chief passed away in such a shocking way; Des Moines, the city which propelled Obama to the center stage, was hammered by tornado and flood.

Good bless us.

Tim Russert was a tremendous asset to this nation. No other journalist knew how to hold our elected officials accountable on matters of true importance the way he did. His presence in our political dialogue will be sorely missed.

And I, for one, won't know where to turn during election coverage for the insightful and entertaining commentary Mr. Russert provided.

Rest in peace.

Chris: Excellent thoughts on Tim Russert. Russert hosted my favorite program, he was my favorite TV journalist, and one of my favorite people. A class act. All gone in an instant. Godspeed Tim Russert. You will be missed.

NEWS FLASH

NBC ANNOUNCES WORDS OF WISDOM AND 37th&OSTREET WILL CO-HOST MEET THE PRESS

Obama camp in disarray

Axelrod said to be "livid" complains NBC is turning on him, says that he is personally hurt by decision.

Plouffe says NBC decision is "like a stab in the back from a close friend."

Michigan and Florida Voters Cheer Decision - Celebrations in the Streets of Lansing and Miami.

.

NEWS FLASH

NBC ANNOUNCES WORDS OF WISDOM AND 37th&OSTREET WILL CO-HOST MEET THE PRESS

Obama camp in disarray

Axelrod said to be "livid" complains NBC is turning on him, says that he is personally hurt by decision.

Plouffe says NBC decision is "like a stab in the back from a close friend."

Michigan and Florida Voters Cheer Decision - Celebrations in the Streets of Lansing and Miami.

.

I'm am so so sad, I can't stop crying!...
He was my favorite journalist, I too never missed Meet The Press...
I feel like I lost a close family member, NO, I HAVE LOST A EXTENDED FAMILY MEMBER!....
He was the BEST!
He knew what you wanted to know, and asked and challenged the hard question! You KNEW he was not going to leave you wondering! The TRUTH would be told or brought out!

HE WAS THE AMERICAN PEOPLE'S JOURNALIST!

He will truly be missed...I send much much Love and Prayers to His Family, Friends and Colleagues.

IN MEMORY: KEEP THE PASSION ALIVE!

Although my politics lean to the right,I have always respected Mr Russert's professional way he conducted himself and respected his chosen profession.Future journalists should take a mandatory course in Tim Russert. My sincerest condolences to his family. God Bless you Tim.

"What's wrong with some of you people? I guess it's great sport to malign a man who died less than 12 hours ago. I'll bet you wouldn't say some of this crap to his widow's or son's face. You only have courage in anonymity."

Let them do it. Don't respond. As much as we hate to admit, there still exists racists who take pleasure in the death of good people. Let's just ignore them.

"What's wrong with some of you people? I guess it's great sport to malign a man who died less than 12 hours ago. I'll bet you wouldn't say some of this crap to his widow's or son's face. You only have courage in anonymity."

Let them do it. Don't respond. As much as we hate to admit, there still exists racists who take pleasure in the death of good people. Let's just ignore them.

God, some of these people TRULY DO need to get a life, outside the TV world, that is! So many people die who have done truly important and heroic things in the world, and the Fourth Estate doesn't give a damn, but oh, one of its own, that's A WHOLE DIFFERENT STORY, ISN'T IT POST? THE REST OF THE COUNTRY, OUTSIDE THE BELTWAY, REALLY COULDN'T GIVE A DAMN.

I recorded Meet The Press every Sunday. I will miss him very much. He was so good at what he did for us. Thank you, Tim.

I've been robbed...Having only taken an interest in the political arena since the inception of the 2008 Presidential Campaign (By the way, why wasn't Tim Russert a nominee?), and not being a Sunday morning TV viewer, I deeply regret not having had the opportunity to get to "know" this exemplary human being and consummate professional, Mr. Russert, firsthand.
Based on the numerous tributes to him immediately following his passing, by persons great and small, it is evident that our earthly loss is truly Heaven's gain.
RIP, Mr. Russert, and PEACE be with both of your loving families...Those at home AND your workplace.

I've been robbed...Having only taken an interest in the political arena since the inception of the 2008 Presidential Campaign (By the way, why wasn't Tim Russert a nominee?), and not being a Sunday morning TV viewer, I deeply regret not having had the opportunity to get to "know" this exemplary human being and consummate professional, Mr. Russert, firsthand.
Based on the numerous tributes to him immediately following his passing, by persons great and small, it is evident that our earthly loss is truly Heaven's gain.
RIP, Mr. Russert, and PEACE be with both of your loving families...Those at home AND your workplace.

I will miss Mr. Tim Russert.
We have canceled cable for three years now as we could not stand it any more.
But I remember Mr. Russert as a sincere positive person. I could not believe how rude some of the comments are. I wish you would never lose anyone dear to you.

I will have to agree with AgentG's comment on Americans working to death.

Each time we visited national parks, we see more foreigners from Europe or Canada than our own. And, they said they were going to another country after ours. The one excuse is that corporations must stay competitive. It may take a government to mandate at least three week leave to keep our society sane and healthy.

The other thing is that the application of optimization technique for business may be a problem. Our business operation model doesn't consider the cost of such a great loss. We must consider both quantitative and qualitative models together. There are many important variables that cannot be quantized. German companies do not all fall for the same business model we use here. They don't outsource everything for max profits. They look for a more balanced solution for a reasonable profit for the whole society in the long term, not the maximal profit for the corporation just for the current quarter.

We all know the busier you are, the more important regular exercise is to your health, but it takes time. Stress is a silent killer.

My condolences to the Russert Family for such a sudden loss! I am with you.

I was saddened to hear about Tim Russert. May I make a suggestion about a possible fund for Tim: In this day and age, when so much is known about heart attack prevention, and when we have surgery for blocked arteries that could have saved Tim Russert, why don't we have regular health screenings for heart blockages in place for all Americans beginning at a certain age? Is this something Tim's family or co-workers would be willing to campaign for? Let's not see Tim die in vain for something that could have been prevented.

May the Angels lead you to Heaven.

RIP

We like Tim, but did think he got biased in this 2008 primary. Obama was sainted and Hillary kicked. Bless him anyway today.

We want say that it only would be fitting to replace Russert on Meet the Press with a woman journalist. It's high time. It's also good Karma, after Russert's political team and MSNBC (as countless folks said here) attacked HIllary Clinton like a blood sport. The only sexist woman we can think of is Nancy Pelosi. It would help make sure NBC becomes fair again. (But we don't want ANY part of Tim's old political team, male or female, we also agree.) You all are very wise.

What's wrong with some of you people? I guess it's great sport to malign a man who died less than 12 hours ago. I'll bet you wouldn't say some of this crap to his widow's or son's face. You only have courage in anonymity.

Your parents must be so proud.

I had the opportunity to see Russert speak at my university only a few weeks ago. He truly did seem like a kind, humorous soul and was very generous with his time to those of us in the audience. The impression I got of him was that he really, really loved politics and policy and took his job very seriously. He also mentioned his son and father a few times over the course of the lecture - and truly seemed to be a devoted family man. I'll definitely miss him on Sunday mornings.

One down--

Well said.
Not everyone liked what Russert became during this primary season.
Truly blatant sexism shown by all MBC/MSNBC pundits, including the esteemed Russert. In fact, the others (Olbermann, Matthews) took their cues from him.

Goodbye, Tim. And only 58. :(

Go Bills

Am thankful I will not have to hear him waxing and waning over Obama. There is a certain irony to Mr. Russert's death; after all, he was a component of the three-headed MSNBC monster whose unbridled, sexist assault against Sen. Clinton was found to be unbelievable - this will be his legacy for many. I can understand that Obama is grief-stricken as he has lost one of his loudest endorsers. To say how fair Russert was in his attacks is like saying Ted Kennedy was heroic in his attempt to save Mary Jo Kopeckne (he waited 9 hrs. to report her death in his car). Now that the MSNBC monster has lost one of its heads, will the remaining two, Matthews and Olberman, be strong enough to help carry out the anointment of Barack Obama? I'm sure Mr. Russert would like us to call it like we see it.

Tim's early passing is a great loss to the nation. I do not have a TV, but I recognized through the Internet what an important journalist Tim was.

However, this event brings up some important points. For one, those of you out there claiming to 'know' Tim and having 'spent time with' Tim really need to get a mental health evaluation. TELEVISION IS NOT ALIVE, IT DOES NOT PROVIDE YOU WITH A REAL RELATIONSHIP !! Perhaps, this applies to the MAJORITY of the USA.

Secondly, this goes out to his son, who I do not know. I have read that the Russert family recently returned from a vacation in Italy. Since I remember seeing Tim on last Sunday's MTP, the family vacation could not have been a very long one. As it turns out, Tim probably needed at least 2-3 weeks of quality, relaxing vacation time TO SAVE HIS LIFE!! How many others out there are working themselves to death -- for what !! I believe Lukas Russert could be the most effective person to promote a minimal amount of paid vacation to all US workers, YES A GOVERNMENT POLICY MANDATED BY LAW!! We are the only country in the developed world that does not recognize the medical fact that holidays from overworking are necessary for a healthy life. How many more Tim Russert's are we prepared to lose ??

"This sad event makes you put your own life in perspective. In presidential politic terms, it also makes you wonder about John McCain's health".

Yes, and Obama smokes. He could be diagnosed tomorrow with lung cancer. I know someone who died of the disease at age 48, and he was a smoker too.

OVER-RATED-that fits Russert's TV persona IN A NUTSHELL. Sorry, but he WON'T be missed except by his family, justifiably, no matter how much over-eulogizing you do, Post!

I am very saddened by Russert's death because he was a human being. But if he's no the gold standard for journalism, nor anything like RFK. P-l-e-a-s-e. He picked sides and pandered officials with his charming ways. Obama today said Russert was his friend; no kidding. NBC needs a clean break from its tarnished political coverage and from MSNBC's legacy.

I do feel bad for Mr. Russert's family that he passed away so suddenly and young.
However, I did not care for his style very much, and I do believe his importance was over-rated. He was not always fair as we saw in the last few months, and he often displayed bias.
I think Joe Scarborough might be a good replacement for him, as he does attempt to be fair.
But no Olbermann, Matthews or Abrams for the top job on MTP.
They would kill the show for good.

In response to the HateThePress comment: You just don't get it. No martyr here. No God incarnate, either. Rather, he was a good person in his own family--a good son and father. From the words of those who knew him well, he was also a good friend. Of integrity and diligence, he made his life. He learned about the world and about people and about family in his time; he found fulfillment by finding meaning in the things he loved and believed in. He was a good human being. Now reread your comment and discern if it is right and fair to say such things about "this guy," Tim Russert.

Hey, Anon, at least I'm not a dope like you who's beating their breasts over some nasty tv personality's death, THANK GOD FOR THAT!

YOU, on the other hand, are such a wimp you can't even post under an assumed name! What'sa matter? Afwaid of the big bad bloggers, huh? AWWWWWW!

I was amazed Tim died and am sorry he died. I wish he had remained the journalist he once was. We all hope NBC will do better in the future and get serious and Meet the Press and MSNBC. Does NBC know what the public thinks of their bias? (I just want to add I agree that NBC is tops, except for political coverage.) If someone blogs and knows how to tell the top brass there, then please do. Send them this link of America's voices. They need to read all of these blogs about their political coverage. Tom Brokaw is on the air tonight. Don't forget to contact him. He's the best of the best.

I cannot think of a more fitting tribute to Mr. Russert than to take him to task. I have never forgiven him for failing to apply his hard-nosed interviewing to Bush and Cheney when he had the chance in the lead up to war.

But in criticizing him, I give honor him. Because truly I looked to him above all others to get it right.

He remained "the gold standard" and I never failed to watch the podcast of MTP. Where most tv media remains contemptuous, Russert was always riveting. How bitterly ironic that his final moments of MTP last week were remembering the tragic loss of RFK before his time.

I cannot think of a more fitting tribute to Mr. Russert than to take him to task. I have never forgiven him for failing to apply his hard-nosed interviewing to Bush and Cheney when he had the chance in the lead up to war.

But in criticizing him, I give honor him. Because truly I looked to him above all others to get it right.

He remained "the gold standard" and I never failed to watch the podcast of MTP. Where most tv media remains contemptuous, Russert was always riveting. How bitterly ironic that his final moments of MTP last week were remembering the tragic loss of RFK before his time.

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On Tim Russert
News of the sudden death of Tim Russert, Washington bureau chief of NBC News and host of "Meet the Press," will have a large -- and lasting -- impact on the world of politics and journalism.

Tim Russert. (File photo: Getty Images for Meet the Press) Russert was, without question, the single most influential political journalist working in Washington. His show -- known to insiders as simply "MTP" -- was not only the most watched of the Sunday news programs but also the one that every politician and journalist aspired to appear on.

An example of Russert's influence: When he proclaimed that Barack Obama had effectively clinched the Democratic presidential nomination on the night of the May 6 primaries in Indiana and North Carolina, it was seen as a significant sign that Hillary Rodham Clinton's time in the race was running short. As my colleagues Anne Kornblut and Dan Balz wrote: "When NBC's Tim Russert flatly declared the Democratic race over around midnight, one adviser recalled, "the air came out of the room."

There will be any number of pieces written over the next few days about Tim's passing and the impact he had on the world of politics. (And make sure to read what Dan Balz wrote, reflecting on a man he had known for more than two decades.) But I couldn't write something about his death without noting the impact he had on my own career as a political journalist.

I had the pleasure of appearing on Tim's show on CNBC and MSNBC a handful of times and the honor of sharing the "Meet the Press" table with him as well. I did not know him well, but I looked up to and admired the hell out of him, so getting the chance to talk politics with him was a rare treat for a young journalist like myself.

What I came away with each time after an appearance with Tim was that he was someone, like me, who loved the political game, who took pleasure in the day-to-day trench warfare of the campaign, who worked his sources to make sure he got the most up to date information to his viewers and who loved hearing from new voices offering fresh perspective on the political process.

Tim's passing is a sad day for anyone who cared about politics and political journalism in this country. The comments section is open for any thoughts you might have on Tim. While I can't tell you what to say, I'd appreciate it -- as someone who respected and admired Tim -- if we can keep any comments in that vein.

After the jump, an interview with Russert from last year conducted by washingtonpost.com's On Faith project...

By Chris Cillizza | June 13, 2008; 3:53 PM ET | Category: Fix Notes
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God bless Tim.

Relax, you all. Dan Abrams won't replace him. Dan's show is trivial pursuit. He doesn't listen to his guests, he pronounces everything is a boo-boo or are win or whatever he's saying. It's 50 sound bites, then the show is over. Dan campaigns for that one presidential candidate (Obama) as much as the rest of Tim's team. The only difference is that Dan repeatedly claims he doesn't do that, like viewers are lemmings to the sea.

Posted by: Rhonda | June 13, 2008 11:30 PM

I agree now that Emma gave us the heads up. It would be hard to explain her rumor having no truth then.

Tim Russert, who I'm sure was a wonderful man, husband, and son, was among the reasons I stopped watching MTP and other talk shows about politics on Sunday mornings. These days, there really is no substance on these shows, just "gotcha journalism", horse race analysis, and political tactics. Mr. Russert seemed to play that game quite well, and received quite a nice career for his efforts. However, I feel he played a big part of the problem in todays's political climate, and doesn't quite deserve the accolades he is receiving at the moment.

God bless Tim.

Relax, you all. Dan Abrams won't replace him. Dan's show is trivial pursuit. He doesn't listen to his guests, he pronounces everything is a boo-boo or are win or whatever he's saying. It's 50 sound bites, then the show is over. Dan campaigns for that one presidential candidate (Obama) as much as the rest of Tim's team. The only difference is that Dan repeatedly claims he doesn't do that, like viewers are lemmings to the sea.

I'm sure he was a nice guy but how every journalist in America fell in love with him is beyond my comprehension!

Schmetterling ---

A man who loved what he did and was damned good at it has died. You can disagree with what he did, but your comments are sickening.

I bet your passing will be mourned by few.

Yea, but Abrams should not be stealing his job. Russert is not even cold.

"Russert's internist, Michael A. Newman, told MSNBC that an autopsy showed the journalist had an enlarged heart and that cholesterol plaque ruptured an artery, causing coronary thrombosis. He said Russert had been diagnosed earlier with coronary artery disease, but that it was controlled with medication and exercise and Russert had performed well on a stress test in late April."

JUST AS I SUSPECTED, CORONARY PLAQUE, THE GREAT SILENT, AND HIDDEN, HEART KILLER.

Dr. Newman, I hate to tell you this, but I don't think much of your treatment plan for Russert, WHY DIDN'T YOU HAVE HIM TAKE A HEART SCAN, TO SEE THE EXTENT OF PLAQUE IN HIS ARTERIES, HUH? I THOUGHT ALL GOOD INTERNISTS DID THAT FOR THEIR HIGH CHOLESTEROL PATIENTS WITH HEART DISEASE! WHAT KIND OF A CRAPPY INTERNIST ARE YOU, ANYWAY? HEART SCANS ARE ENORMOUS LIFESAVERS!

AND YOU SAY ALSO THAT YOU THOUGHT A STRESS TEST THAT SHOWED HE PERFORMED NORMAL WAS A GOOD INDICATOR OF THE HEALTH OF HIS HEART? WHAT, ARE YOU KIDDING US? I'M NOT EVEN A DOCTOR, AND EVEN I KNOW THAT A STRESS TEST DOESN'T TELL YOU CRAP ABOUT CORONARY PLAQUE, OR DIDN'T YOU KNOW THAT? PEOPLE WITH DANGEROUS LEVELS OF CORONARY PLAQUE OFTEN TEST COMPLETELY NORMAL ON STRESS TESTS! WHERE THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN, DOCTOR? OUT ON THE GOLF LINKS A LITTLE TOO OFTEN INSTEAD OF PAYING GREATER ATTENTION TO YOUR JOB RESPONSIBILITIES?

Sheesh! All I've got to say to the Russert family is, FIRE YOUR INTERNIST, IF YOU HAD HAD MY WASHINGTON DC INTERNIST, TIM RUSSERT WOULD LIKELY BE ALIVE TODAY, NO JOKE!

I can't stand it anymore!!
Okay, maybe he was a good guy, but so were the thousands of others who died today as well. But they were just firefighters and police officers and nurses and teachers and others that have a real impact on the health and safety of millions of Americans.
Just because this guy was on TV is not a basis for martyrdom.

Abrams not being on is strange. And disrespectful at the very least.

Hey but why was Abram not on tonight?

he was a one-of-a-kind in the best sense. We'll miss him and his exuberance and incisive commentary.

From MSNBC to CNN to FoxNews......what wonderful things they all had to say about Tim Russert. The respect and warm regards....they all said the same thing, especially about Big Russ and a certain team....they all are in shock and are remembering Tim fondly. Unlike some idiots on this blog who need much prayer, I send my thoughts and prayers to the Russert family, friends and fellow journalists. It is never easy to lose someone you love and respect. May others continue to pay their respects and leave the hatemongering, disrespect and gossip for other news stories.

Tim was lucky to live such a full life. I'm sure his family suffers the most.

I will miss Tim. I feel as if I knew Tim personally since I saw him more than some of my family members. Sunday morning will never be the same. My regards to his family.

I didn't always agree with his interviewing style, but his political analysis was spot on every time. I hate that the rest of this historic campaign will occur without him. He also seemed like someone who had a zest for life that was contagious.

I never met him but feel like I knew him well because he spent every Sunday morning with me. And my heart aches for his wife and son -- as well as all his friends and coworkers. The thought of receiving that call overseas, so far from him, brings me to tears.

What is truly shocking is the heartlessness of some of the comments I have read. These are people that will have little good said about them when their time comes.

But as for Tim Russert, may he live forever in the memory and deeds of those who loved him. There were many people who did...do.

What a shock about Tim Russert. Rest his soul.

Who is this Emma blogger? My guess is her "sister" is her brother or husband. My guess is she's related to Dan Abrams, who she says is getting promoted to Tim's job.

That won't happen. Dan is on tiny MSNBC and his show has the famous Obama slant they all have on that cable station. Plus, Dan's show is essentially a trivia quiz about who made a political error every day. Most days, there aren't any errors, so they make up the news. It's the worst of the worse for journalism, since that seems to be the discussion here.

To protect my sister's job Emma is not even my real name. She said no one is allowed to talk about this and that there is a chaotic scramble to maintain plans to give his job to Abram going on right now. We all liked Tim alot here!

A small piece of American democracy died today. Tim Russert was one of the last real journalists. I am heartbroken. My deepest condolences to his family.

Hey every body my sister worked in those offices and said it was going around that Russert was gonna get the ax.
Make of that what you will. But meet the press was said to air last on sunday! MSNBC may have pushed him to far?

The over-eulogizing and exaggerating the death of a member of the press is typical of the modern media. But there are those who are far more deserving of mention in death, and they don't even get a sentence.

I am sorry, Tim Russert was not the gold standard. Tom Brokaw was the gold standard. We only hope NBC can find its way back to those golden days.

But I'm very sorry Tim died. He gave joy to his allies.

I'm crushed. This is very sad not only for his family, but for all his viewers. We lost one of the greats during one of the most important presidential elections in years. There will be a huge void throughout the remainder of the campaign without Tim's coverage and analysis. Tim, I know you are watching from above, thanks for giving us your best for so many years.

"News of the sudden dea