Rest in peace, Tim Russert

[WriterDom]

I'm not a big fan of the media but I loved Tim and Sunday mornings won't be the same for a long time.

I just ordered his book and look forward to reading it.

 

[Breaker_Morant]

From what I read/heard.. he passed while on the job. That's the way I'd want to go - "with my boots on". I hope he didn't suffer much.

 

[A Desert Rose]

He gave journalists a good name. Fair. Honest. And joyful in his life and work. I loved watching him every Sunday.

It's stunningly sad.

 

[jockdom]

I'm not a big fan of the media but I loved Tim and Sunday mornings won't be the same for a long time.

I just ordered his book and look forward to reading it.

Pardon my ignorance who was he? Newsreader?

 

[intothewoods]

He gave journalists a good name. Fair. Honest. And joyful in his life and work. I loved watching him every Sunday.

It's stunningly sad.

Exactly. I'm still sort of in shock.

Pardon my ignorance who was he? Newsreader?

Click here. He was a political journalist. My favorite of the big network political guys at the moment.

 

[LilyBart]

Tim Russert was sort of a hometown guy for me. He grew up in my Dad's childhood city and then grew into his own in my own childhood city. And I really liked his reporting.

Far too young to die...but I am thankful, for him, anyway, that it was quick. For his family though, I am genuinely sorry. It is so very hard to lose a loved one without warning.

~LB

 

[jockdom]

Exactly. I'm still sort of in shock.



Click here. He was a political journalist. My favorite of the big network political guys at the moment.

Thanks seems like he was a decent chap.

 

[WriterDom]

He gave journalists a good name. Fair. Honest. And joyful in his life and work. I loved watching him every Sunday.

It's stunningly sad.

Yeah learned it from dr. a shock because of his age

 

[Sexualinnocent]

I enjoyed his Sunday morning shows and analysis too...and he was only 58...far too young as some of you have said.

RIP Tim.

 

[SubKekiLee]

Very sad! I feel for his family he was almost the same age as my mom when she passed... He was a great journalist..

 

[twysted73]

Not to be insensitive, but he always looked like a burger fan to me.
Like, super thick double angus with sauces dripping off the sides.
So when I saw "heart attack" my suspitions were confirmed.

He's also one fo the few comentators who had the gumption to ask "imposing" people hard questions you could tell they didn't want to be asked.

Other then that....*hands up slightly, palms upturned*

 

[catalina_francisco]

Not to be insensitive, but he always looked like a burger fan to me.
Like, super thick double angus with sauces dripping off the sides.
So when I saw "heart attack" my suspitions were confirmed.

He's also one fo the few comentators who had the gumption to ask "imposing" people hard questions you could tell they didn't want to be asked.

Other then that....*hands up slightly, palms upturned*

Actually, your assumptions about his dietary habits could be one of those instances of being way off track and judging a book by its cover. He had suffered diabetes which a common side effect is heart disease at an increased rate than most other people.

Catalina

 

[catalina_francisco]

Being non-US, I can't say I know him, but my heart goes out to his family.

Catalina

 

[twysted73]

Actually, your assumptions about his dietary habits could be one of those instances of being way off track and judging a book by its cover. He had suffered diabetes which a common side effect is heart disease at an increased rate than most other people.

Catalina

Do you ever tell a joke?

I can always count on your posts to be insightful and supportive. But just as dependable are the guilt-laden morality lessons should someone voice a less then PC opinion..

It's in my nature, it's in my heritage to laugh at death. To celibrate life and joke with and about those who've passed.
Ever been to an Irish wake? Beer, music, fun and a corpse in the corner with two pennies on his eyes, a stool next to his head and a Guinness perched upon it.
THAT is a good celibration. Celibrate life.
I spoke well of the man. But I also smiled about him. Made someone who might've read my post smile too.
Sure his family'd not appreciate it. But then they have the same belief that one must drag themselves needlessly through anguish and sadness at the passing of a loved one too.
Grief isn't about the dead. They could care less.
Grief is a selfish, self-indulgant emotion. (not negatively, but it is what it is)
It's saying, "MY life is now changed because I can't have that element in it ever again and I can't change it." Understandable.
Grief. It's natural. But so's humor. And I don't think I should have to feel "wrong" for zigging instead of zagging.
If he was a personal friend of yours, you have my condolenses.

There's enough sorrow in this world as it is I would say.

 

[Shankara20]

My favorite of the big network political guys at the moment.

mine as well - I expect his place will be difficult to fill, at least for me.

 

[DVS]

Like others have said, Sunday mornings will never be the same for me. He had a special political insight, intelligence, a great sense of humor, and one of, if not the best interviewer I've ever seen...tough but fair. "Meet the Press" will never be the same. And it's fitting that it never will be.

He had class. He wasn't your normal reporter/journalist kind of guy. He was very much a family man. His first book, "Big Russ and Me" was a story about his father. He told how his father went to war and fought for his country, and when he came home, he took two full time jobs (a sanitary worker, and a truck driver) to put his kids through school. Tim said his father never complained about the tough times, or about his sacrifice, so his kids could have a better life. He said he was a member of that generation...the greatest generation that knew what needed to be done and just did it, without any complaints.

At book signings, Tim said people came up to him and said "you wrote about my dad." He said they would ask him to sign their copy of the book and asked him to make it out to "Big Dave" or "Big James", etc. because it had touched them so deeply.

He said it was overwhelming the number of people who wrote letters, emails and even came up to him on the street to talk about their dad. He said he received over 60,000 letters.

He said this was the reason he wrote "Wisdom of Our Fathers", because at these book signings, he would hear all of these great stories from people, about their dads. I could add my dad to this list.

Big Russ, Tim's dad, must be devestated at the loss of his son. And, Tim's son Luke must be, too. Friends say those three were very close. Luke even got a tattoo. The story behind that is in this interview Tim did with Fox News' Hannity and Colmes. I was lucky enough to see this interview. A portion of it, with the tattoo story is printed here. This short segment tells so much about Tim Russert, the man, the father, and the son.

And, this upcoming presidential election will now have a very large void. Russert's insight and knowledge about politicts, especially presidential elections, will be sorely missed. You could tell he loved what he did.

It's such a shock to many of us, because his personality made it seem like we knew him...like he was a friend. He was just 3 years older than me. My heart goes out to his family and his many friends.

 

[catalina_francisco]

Do you ever tell a joke?

I can always count on your posts to be insightful and supportive. But just as dependable are the guilt-laden morality lessons should someone voice a less then PC opinion..

I stand corrected then. Personally I just find it in poor taste to make an accusation (or joke as you claim it was though even with my Oz SOH it didn't sound remotely joke like) to say you had figured he had basically died due to bad diet based on your interpretation of his looks. I am renowned amongst those who know me well for my SOH, but it doesn't extend to putting people down in such a way at such a time. That is something I often comment I don't get about modern US comedy shows...seems most of them are solely about tearing those they love apart, putting down everyone in a derogatory fashion, bullying people, and running around screaming a lot. Bring back Happy Days and MASH any day to replace the stuff they write these days.

Catalina

 

[A Desert Rose]

You know Catalina, I see people die all the time due to poor lifestyle choices and addictions. Young people like Tim and younger than I.

It doesn't matter what he died from.

He's gone and many of us will miss him. As I said, I will miss him. He was a decent, fair person; something we seem to be in short supply of anymore.

 

[catalina_francisco]

You know Catalina, I see people die all the time due to poor lifestyle choices and addictions. Young people like Tim and younger than I.

It doesn't matter what he died from.

He's gone and many of us will miss him. As I said, I will miss him. He was a decent, fair person; something we seem to be in short supply of anymore.

Quite true. I think when anyone dies it is a loss, especially for those left behind. Being aware of that fragility is sometimes a good thing.

Catalina

 

[WriterDom]

Sunday mornings just aren't the same without you buddy.