WASHINGTON – Tim Russert, NBC News’ Washington bureau chief and the moderator of “Meet the Press,” died Friday after being stricken at the bureau, NBC News said Friday. He was 58.
Russert was recording voiceovers for Sunday’s “Meet the Press” broadcast when he collapsed, the network said. He had recently returned from Italy, where his family was celebrating the graduation of Russert’s son, Luke, from Boston College.
No further details were immediately available.
A “Meet the Press” grilling was often considered an essential proving ground in the career of any national politician. Russert took the helm of the 60-year-old public affairs program in 1991.
“If you could pass the Tim Russert test, you could do something in this field,” said Howard Fineman, senior Washington correspondent for Newsweek magazine and msnbc.com columnist.
Russert’s tenacity as a reporter and his consuming passion for politics was evident during his nearly round-the-clock appearances on NBC and MSNBC on election nights.
Aside from his on-air responsibilities, Russert was a senior vice president and head of NBC’s overall Washington operations.
He was “one of the premier political journalists and analysts of his time,” Tom Brokaw, the former longtime anchor of “NBC Nightly News,” said in announcing Russert’s death. “This news division will not be the same without his strong, clear voice.”
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Mr. Russert was a rare breed of man for this country, his profession, and for NBC. He will be remembered as a man who was able to bring unbiased journalism into our homes, while educating us without to self-populating himself – but by bringing the depth of the story the pulse of passionate journalism to people around the world.
He was NOT a media/news hyena that thrives on negative reporting or sensationalism to increase NBC’s ratings (unlike Fox), but by reporting and captivating the American people with his constant smile, positive attitude, integrity, knowledge, and passion for the American people and his family – at home and at work.
Rest in peace Mr. Russert, you will be missed by millions of Americans, and people like me (a German) who cares about this country’s domestic and internationals politics, and who wants to be informed by journalism that is interesting, thought provoking, critical, and has class. Thank you Mr. Russert for being the man and idol that you were, and for keeping a legacy that will be unsurpassed for decades to come, until we meet again … Auf Wiedersehen
Dirk
Hey, this is my first comment on ur site. I’ve been reading it for a while in my RSS reader but haven’t commented before. 🙂 Anyways, thanks for the post.