Not The Same.... Tim Russert

I am not a long time subscriber to the Church of Russert as some are every Sunday morning. The Church being NBC’s 60 year old news show Meet The Press. Tim Russert, the show’s host of nearly 20 years, passed away earlier today from a heart attack. The news of his death caught me (as well as I am sure many others) off guard as I was looking forward to seeing him on the show this Sunday, a Hallmark holiday I dread, Father’s Day. During his time, Meet The Press maintained semi objective manner with Russert skewering and seeking answers from guests without playing partisan politics. Democrats and Republicans alike had to not only answer for current deed/misdeeds, but Russert also would call on them to expound upon prior comments made in other venues or on other shows.

I recently came to subscribe to watching the show earlier this presidential primary season. His direct yet not “in-your-face” manner of questioning was refreshing. Unlike McLaughlin or This Week where the host put themselves in front of the issues, Russert was about giving the viewer the truth and the show’s name continued to stand for that, the truth, not hosts ideology. One Fox News colleague likened him to tv lawyer Perry Mason with his dogged manner for getting answers. His appearances on various other NBC and MSNBC shows brought instant credibility to the segments as his political knowledge and love of politics often shown through. At times this spring, he seemed like a kid in candy store when discussing primary results and what came next for the candidates.

As I watched the numerous accolades being lauded upon him by journalists on all networks (including Fox and CNN) I was touched for reasons I really wasn’t aware of. Saddened by this man’s passing whom I never met and had only come to really know of within the last few months. The man was like a pseudo “tv dad” for me. Much of what Russert said reminded me of listening to my own dad talking to me about politics.

It was his manner of taking either side and asking the questions to get to the core of an issue that reminded me of my father. Probing and seeking answers rather accepting half truths and letting sleeping dogs lay. My dad would often sit my brother and I down at the kitchen table and ask questions about what we learned in school, had read in the newspaper or just our opinion on news events. We often were called upon to not only explain aspects of our views, but to back up things we said as well. Site them our sources. He had his views as well, but made it a point to get us to truly explain what we meant and see if we truly understood the issue. What he thought was secondary to getting us to explain what we truly meant or thought. I often saw that in Russert on Sundays.

Tim Russert, you will be sorely missed.