I really can't believe Tim Russert is gone.
He's been so much apart of our weekends lately; as I tell my younger daughter when she asks why I'm watching "news" on Sunday morning "This is what we do in this house in an election year."
But even in other years, Meet the Press was a staple, and only recently have I added This Week with George Stephanopoulos to the mix.
Apparently, Tom Brokaw will hosting the show this weekend. But in the coming months, political reporting will be much the poorer because of his absence. At any age it'd be a terrible loss, but it's that much more shocking considering his relative youth.
Posted by James at June 13, 2008 6:42 PMThey cut into General Hospital to announce it on ABC; Charlie Gibson looked gobsmacked. I saw a replay of Brokaw's announcement on NBC news later; he sounded as though he had been punched in the stomach.
I quit watching the Sunday shows regularly after Brinkley retired. (I gave George S. a chance, but the contrast was laughable.) Since then, Russert has been the only one I could stand, perhaps because he came across as a true political enthusiast, talking about something that really interested him personally, rather than pandering to a certain audience.
I can't think of anyone who can take his place. I'm not even tempted to peek at the Sunday morning shows any more - I'm afraid all I'll see is a bunch of pundits holding a mutual admiration club meeting.
Posted by: Julie at June 13, 2008 8:31 PMTelevision is such a funny thing.
He was in our family room every Sunday morning, or Sunday night if we had to DVR him.
I'd really come to like him in the past few months. He explored topics that were of interest to me, and now I'll have to rely on somebody else or simply miss that entertainment entirely. I can't quite understand or explain the feeling of loss.
Posted by: Maggie at June 13, 2008 9:52 PMI was about to get out of my car and go into the grocery store yesterday afternoon when I heard of his death on NPR. He was only 58! According to a Reuters report, his physician "determined that cholesterol plaque ruptured in an artery, causing blood flow to the heart to be blocked by a clot." NBC reported that the postmortem "showed he had an enlarged heart and significant coronary artery disease."
http://uk.reuters.com/article/UKNews1/idUKN1338241920080614
Lord, 58 is too young to die. Let this be a reminder to us all that we have to be active in our health, a lesson I have alredy learned as both my parents have had heart attacks and bypass surgeries.
I have to confess I couldn't bear to watch the Sunday morning shows, but I did always listen to Russert when he commented on a story, gave his opinion on a topic, or spoke on an issue. He was knowledgeable without being pedantic or smug.
Posted by: Patti M. at June 14, 2008 8:22 AM