Award-winning journalist, best selling author, political analyst, great father, a loving son and is the Sunday morning influential host of NBC’s Meet the Press, a Washington bureau chief, and also the senior vice president of NBC News Tim Russert, has passed away.
Tim Russert was a household name in American political discourse communities. He was noted for his presidential elections coverage, and his presentation on the NBC Nightly News during the 2008 U.S. presidential election until his sudden death after he collapsed on the job last Friday, June 13th at the Washington bureau of NBC News .
He was not just a frequent correspondent and guest on NBC’s The Today show and Hardball with MSNBC, Chris Matthews, but he was also the best-selling author of two books, both of which reached number one on the New York Times' list.
His first publication, "Big Russ and Me: Lessons in Life," was inspired by his beloved father, who Tim Russert described as a hard-working, blue collar, South Buffalo resident.
“Big Russ and Me” was such a great success that he followed it up with another number one best-seller entitled “Wisdom of Our Fathers.” His second publication was comprised of many of the letters readers sent to him in response to the first book.
His show, “Meet the Press” had become a source of prestige for NBC as the premier place for newsmakers and political candidates to make their case to the nation. It also provided financial value for the network, generating tens of millions in profit every year. “Meet the Press,” is the top-rated, longest running public affairs program on television, and is viewed by millions of people every Sunday.
Tim Russert was the only moderator/interviewer who could torch the best and brightest minds our nation had to offer yet never lose his charm and civility. He grilled anybody that came on “Meet the Press”, but was never rude. He could not be touched in terms of objectivity, tenacity and fairness. He was very good at what he did and who could not find his tough but fair Irish middle-class attitude anything but likable.
President’s, governors, senators, generals, social activists and other influential reporters would gladly sit across from him knowing they may end up limping out of the studio with their tales between their legs, but they’d be better for it.
Americans have lost the voice of their most fair-minded political thinker in the midst of the most critical election season since World War II. Tim Russert was described by others as an institution in both news and politics for more than two decades. He was not just the one of the best television journalists, but arguably the best political journalist of the 20th and 21st centuries.
To buy Tim Russert best-selling books, please visit:
http://www.amazon.com
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