Russert
By Mitch Berg
Tim Russert dead at 58 of an out-of-the-blue heart attack:
Russert was recording voiceovers for Sunday’s “Meet the Press” program when he collapsed, the network said. He and his family had recently returned from Italy, where they celebrated the graduation of Russert’s son, Luke, from Boston College.
No further details were immediately available.
While Russert’s politics were rarely in question, he differed from so many of the hamsters that clog TV news (and news in general) today by having a facility for detaching himself from the story, and actually acting for the good of the story itself. NBC’s initial obit for Russert sums up Russert’s sadly-rare approach:
Of his background as a Democratic political operative, Russert said, “My views are not important.”
“Lawrence Spivak, who founded ‘Meet the Press,’ told me before he died that the job of the host is to learn as much as you can about your guest’s positions and take the other side,” he said in a 2007 interview with Time magazine. “And to do that in a persistent and civil way. And that’s what I try to do every Sunday.”
And, as a fire-breathing Republican speaking of a former Democrat operative, it is a sincere compliment when I say Russert did it well.
In this dismal season for the media, he will be missed.
June 13th, 2008 at 4:31 pm
Unfortunately, Russert’s credibility took a miniscule hit when he constantly appeared next to the likes of Matthews and Olbermann. However, it didn’t take anything away from his stellar work on Meet the Press.
I agree, he will be missed.
June 13th, 2008 at 4:46 pm
“And, as a fire-breathing Republican speaking of a former Democrat operative”
Sometimes English needs extra logical notation to clear up ambiguity. Just to be clear, Russert was not a ‘former (Democrat operative)’ he was a ‘(former Democrat) operative’.
June 14th, 2008 at 9:27 am
Um, would an employee of Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan (D – NY) be honestly referred to as a “former Democrat operative”? Next you’ll be saying that ABC’s George Snuffleupagus isn’t a “former Democrat operative”, even tho he was Clinton’s Chief of Staff.
Sometimes liberal thinking needs extra logical notation to clear up ambiguity.
June 14th, 2008 at 10:40 pm
Kermit:
a. Yes, why would you think I denied it b. George was not Clinton’s C of Staff, but he is a former Democratic operative. Again why would you think I denied it.
Well obviously you have no idea what I was talking about. Thats OK, it is an obscure reference. Here is a starter: How is ‘former Democratic operative’ like ‘little girls camp’? What do you think might be the difference between ‘little (girls camp)’ and ‘(little girls) camp’? Figure that out and you will understand my first post.
June 15th, 2008 at 6:24 pm
Good Lord, Rick. You probably think all of that “change we can believe in” bullshit is true. Extra logical notation doesn’t help when one is sincerely deluded.
June 15th, 2008 at 8:17 pm
Mitch, nice comments on Russert and accurate. One of a dying breed of true Newsmen. – Marty
http://www.radiofreenation.blogspot.com
June 16th, 2008 at 8:01 am
Actually, Rick, the way Mitch wrote it works both ways just fine. Perhaps you’re the one who missed the subtlety.
June 16th, 2008 at 10:27 am
(Former Democrat) operative implies he was once a Democrat but left he party. Former (Democrat operative) is grammatically correct. He never left the party but is no longer an operative due to his passing.