ALERT: NBC’s Tim Russert Dies at 58
Tim Russert, the Democratic operative turned NBC commentator who revolutionized Sunday morning television and infused journalism with his passion for politics, died this afternoon.
Russert, 58, collapsed while recording voiceovers for his Sunday morning interview program, NBC reported. He was initially reported to have suffered a heart attack while working in his office on Washington’s Nebraska Avenue, but the network said later only that he was “stricken at the bureau” and subsequently died. Further details were not immediately available.
Russert served as NBC’s Washington bureau chief and the host of “Meet the Press,” the top-rated Sunday talk show, which had an enormous influence on politics and was marked by his aggressive style of interrogation. As a frequent commentator on the “Today” show, “NBC Nightly News” and other shows, Russert wielded such clout that when he declared that Sen. Barack Obama had wrapped up the Democratic nomination last month, his pronouncement was treated as a news event in itself.
Russert’s television career was marked by a voracious appetite for politics and a shrewd understanding of how politicians interact with the media. He also wrote a book about his father, titled “Big Russ and Me.” Last week, he moved Big Russ to a nursing facility.
Former NBC News anchor Tom Brokaw gave MSNBC viewers the news of Russert’s death at 3:40 p.m.
“He worked to the point of exhaustion so many weeks,” Brokaw said, adding: “This news division will not be the same without his strong, clear voice.”
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My thoughts and prayers are with his wife, son and Big Russ, who out lived his son!
June 13, 2008 - 04:22 PM on June 13th, 2008
Tim Russert RIP
Tim Russert passes while preparing final voiceovers for weekend edition of MTP.
This was quite a shocker to learn. He’d just published an article this AM about need of media to be careful with fact checking when covering the campaign.
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June 16, 2008 - 12:44 PM on June 16th, 2008
Tim Russert was fair, dedicated, and professional.
To all those who knew him (and I’ve met him twice) his loss is significant in a county ever-fuller of journalists who favor partiality over impartiality.
See ya ’round Tim. Job well don.
June 17, 2008 - 11:24 AM on June 17th, 2008
Somehow I got the drift Tim was bias, especially on June 6th when he just couldn’t wait to announce Obama as the winner, before the process was finished?? Ironic one lady commented the same thing that day, plus she thought he looked ashy gray and maybe should go get checked out. She mentioned that to her boyfriend while watching him on TV, as she had someone die of a heart attack – just prior they looked that gray color. No doubt it was sad for him to die. One friend said they thought they were going to declare a National Holiday over the guy, and she thought by the fact of working on MSNBC he was very bias. So just an observation, not to be critical. Russett was a good reporter, but a lot of others are too. Granted it was bad timing. however isn’t any death?