DebateGate
General Category => 3DHS => Topic started by: sirs on June 13, 2008, 06:01:48 PM
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FAR too soon. He will be missed :'(
NBC's Tim Russert Dies at 58
Host of 'Meet the Press' Suffers Heart Attack
By Howard Kurtz
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, June 13, 2008; 4:10 PM
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 suffered a heart attack while working in his office on Washington's Nebraska Avenue. 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."
Brokaw said Russert had just returned from a family trip to Italy with his wife, writer Maureen Orth. Their son, Luke, graduated from Boston College this spring, Brokaw said.
Russert served as host of "Meet the Press" longer than any other person and was "one of the premier political analysts and journalists of his time," Brokaw said. He began hosting "Meet the Press" in 1991.
The Buffalo native got his start in New York politics, working for then-senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan and then-governor Mario Cuomo.
Article (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/06/13/AR2008061302423_pf.html)
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Way too soon, and I will sure miss him. What a shock for his family.
I'm glad he got to write that book about his father.
RIP.
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Besides the incredibly awesome books he wrote, Wisdom of our Fathers... (http://www.amazon.com/Wisdom-Our-Fathers-Lessons-Daughters/dp/081297543X/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1213394662&sr=1-1) & Big Russ and Me... (http://www.amazon.com/Big-Russ-Me-Father-Lessons/dp/1401359655/ref=pd_bbs_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1213394662&sr=1-2), as a moderator on Meet the Press, he was typically excellent. Despite being a Democrat, he facilitated hardball questions to any and all that passed thru the chair opposite him. Politicians cringed, if not declined, to have him as a debate moderator. Our prayers are with him & his family
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Seriously, I never really understood how much a part of my political regimen he was till just today. I'm totally blown away.
It's just a terrible, terrible day.
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Someone who was always prepared. True professional.
Very sad news on Father's DAy weekend.
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You could always count on him to get straight to the truth, even if it wasn't something you wanted to hear. And he seemed like a genuinely nice man. Very sad.
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An excellent interviewer and a great newsman.
He will be missed.
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Media Research Center President Brent Bozell has issued the following statement regarding Tim Russert?s passing:
"Whenever I've been asked to give examples of a fair, balanced and honest journalist, Tim Russert's name was the first name that came to mind. This was a view shared by everyone and was the ultimate testimony to his professionalism. As a moderator he was in a league of his own, always knowing when to speak and when to let his guests do the talking. As an individual he was an absolute class act, and always a gentleman. The world of journalism is vastly diminished today."
Tim Russert 1950-2008 (http://www.mrc.org/Welcome.asp)
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The more I learn about the life of Tim Russert, the more I realize (and particularly on this Father's Day event,) there is a time...there is a season....there is very much a reason for certain souls in life and in death
This man was so brilliant and his ability to see the BS...as the vet would say...BS detector..Russert could trip up the most obvious fraud goin'...i.e. Mr. racist himself..Duke. To hear how he slipped him a Timmy was brilliant. Reminds me of the best of the best here on the board..and Yep sometimes that best is Ami. ;)
This isn't just the loss of a newsman. . . imo, this is a loss of an American who understood so many around his circle...my god, he could have been the ultimate leader of a country. I know that sounds promising and hopeful, but the standing ovation in life that this political man without script received.....is more than any damn Prez I'll ever see in this lifetime.
Sometimes there are no coincidences...sometimes there are messages that hold more meaning than any thread bite can carry.
A Guy Like No Other Guy.
.----Jack Welch
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Hi Chicky.
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I was shocked to hear of his passing on the radio back from my camping trip.
An amazing man in the media of today that is focused on trivialities, Russert found a way to insert the things that mattered into the cultural conversation.
He'll be missed by those that like honest news.
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hi Ricky. :)
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Although he was at the opposite end of the political spectrum
he seemed like a good man, a good father, and he died way too early.
RIP Tim Russert.
(http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c330/robynmartin1/untitled.jpg)
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Never heard of him.
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Coulter must have never been on his show then...
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Coulter must have never been on his show then...
Probly right.
I know little of Tim Russert , I don't watch that time of day I guess.
All these comments make me think I must have missed something good.
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>>Coulter must have never been on his show then...<<
If she was, I'd never have seen it.
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>>All these comments make me think I must have missed something good.<<
Not really. He was just another liberal on television. A dime a dozen.
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If you never heard of him, how would you know that Rich? Seriously, you missed out. He was just as tough on the liberals as he was the conservatives.
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As a partisan conservative, I can concur with that. He was. It's also probably the main reason you haven't him seen as a moderator to any of the Obama & Hillary debates.
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Anyone who has seen Russert do an interview knows that he was an expert in his field.
Those that haven't are just blowing smoke if they criticize him.
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>>All these comments make me think I must have missed something good.<<
Not really. He was just another liberal on television. A dime a dozen.
How would you have known that, Rich?
He was not a dime a dozen. My gosh, your comments here are typically flame throwin' in the wind .... while folks on the board take a moment out to remember someone who was not only brilliant, but fair and precise. Your comments shed a light on your lack of humanity to man.
You have indeed missed out, as Chicky stated.
I rarely had time to watch him on Sunday mornings, but I at least paid attention to the center for political awareness to know WHO HE WAS!. . .He was a great American.
Sometimes your stance doesn't lean right at all --more like to the down right hateful. Even those on the right knew of the man.
with all due respect. :-X
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The thing that really stands out with Tim, at least from our political angle, is that he is largely admired by BOTH sides of the spectrum, minus Rich apparently. That said, there will be other pundits and newscasters that will leave this world before their time, but likely not receive the same accolades from both sides. You think the right will see....let's say Helen Thomas, as a great icon, when she passes?? The left of course will raise her up on a pedastal, but it'd be an acutely biased one.
Tim transcended that by being largely objective, despite being a Democrat. He would ask just as tough a questions to a Democrat politican as he would a Republican. Which again is why you never saw, at least recently, Democrats allowing Tim to be the moderator to any of their debates. I see no one in the political world that can replace what he brought to the political process :(
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The thing that really stands out with Tim, at least from our political angle, is that he is largely admired by BOTH sides of the spectrum, minus Rich apparently. That said, there will be other pundits and newscasters that will leave this world before their time, but likely not receive the same accolades from both sides. You think the right will see....let's say Helen Thomas, as a great icon, when she passes?? The left of course will raise her up on a pedastal, but it'd be an acutely biased one.
Tim transcended that by being largely objective, despite being a Democrat. He would ask just as tough a questions to a Democrat politican as he would a Republican. Which again is why you never saw, at least recently, Democrats allowing Tim to be the moderator to any of their debates. I see no one in the political world that can replace what he brought to the political process :(
Very nicely stated, Sirs.
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I agree, good post sirs.
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>>My gosh, your comments here are typically flame throwin' in the wind.<<
Oh brother. Could you please explain how anything I said could be considered flame throwing? Don't hurt yourself trying, but please, I'm interested to see if it's possible to follow such thinking.
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>>The thing that really stands out with Tim, at least from our political angle, is that he is largely admired by BOTH sides of the spectrum, minus Rich apparently.<<
I suppose you could say he was admired, except when he asked what the left found to be tough questions. He was a liberal politically. He worked for Patrick Moynihan before going into the news business. Nothing unusual about that. The media is full of old Clinton and othe rliberal hacks. When I said I didn't know who he was, I was kidding. I was looking for a reaction. Cynduhia didn't disappoint. But that ridiculousness aside, this has become more about the media than Russert. The days and days of self flagellation on NBC is ridiculous. They don't give a damn about Russert. It's about them.
Disgusting.
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The thing is Rich, Russert my have worked for the MSM, but he was the exception to the rule. He may have done and worked for everything you say, BUT, when it came to 1 on 1 questioning of congress critters and political pundits, he had done his homework, and wouldn't let politicans answer with their ususal stump non-answers. He had great follow-ups, and would consistently remind the individual how they really hadn't answered the question yet. Chris Wallace and Tony Snow are the closest in how they grill both Republicans and Democrats
You can rail away, and rightly so, about the transparent double standard the MSM holds, BUT, that doesn't equate to Tim being some Democrat shill, just because he was a Democrat.
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I didn't mean to imply he was a shill. On the other hand, he wasn't conservative, that's for sure. Of all the talking heads I think he at least attempted to be a journalist.
I guess I'm just a realist, or just a hard case when it comes to public figures. I don't know him, I really don't give a damn. I suppose you could say I fell for his family, other than that ... ho hum.
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Rich if you notice I gave my condolences to him as a man, and a father
not as an unbiased commentator. I agree with you 100% that he was a
liberal. Hell besides working for liberal Senator Moyinhan he also worked
for liberal Mario Cuomo too. If you notice during his tribute show yesterday
the whole desk was packed with liberals except for Mary Matalin.
In fact Carville stated he and Russert spoke on an almost daily basis.
Personally I thought Russert was very biased, but he was also
very, very clever about it and did it with a smile. Almost always his
Sunday roundtable was weighted with more liberals, plus himself.
He liked to "stack the deck". He was much more jovial with liberal guests.
Sure he would ask some tough questions to all, but you could sense
and see his body language towards liberals. But hey the guy died
too young. And he seemed like a good man, a good father, and a
good son. It's really too bad he didn't take better care of himself and
give himself a better chance to live to a ripe old age.
Again RIP Tim Russert.
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>>My gosh, your comments here are typically flame throwin' in the wind.<<
Oh brother. Could you please explain how anything I said could be considered flame throwing? Don't hurt yourself trying, but please, I'm interested to see if it's possible to follow such thinking.
Dime a dozen?....flames!
Your attempt to pay respect to any human being who has died suddenly, especially someone who has been "in the thick of it all, politically" ?....flames!
Oh Brother, indeed. You have no idea what it means to be a "brother". You are a cold flame, RichPo. I have lost respect for you on this one.
How can anyone not react with such disgust---- with THIS blatant lack of empathy?
I am replying to your first post...not the catch-up posts, btw.
You lack the flame to light any flicker of respect.
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>>with THIS blatant lack of empathy?<<
Aaaaawwww. Does my lack of empathy upset you?
Take a hike you twit.
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>>with THIS blatant lack of empathy?<<
Aaaaawwww. Does my lack of empathy upset you?
Take a hike you twit.
Your true colors shine through, Rich.
You are an idiot.
But of course you know that...or do you?
oops, no you don't...otherwise you would have felt the loss of such a wonderful man.
You want to reply to these posts out of ego mania.
Bait? yep gottcha!
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Remember now, you felt the need to come after me. You're need for my attention is flattering, but you're just to dumb to interest me.
Go away.
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Removed by moderator
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Wait one , for Ritch , this is not so extreme .
Why are people baiting him right now?
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Tim Russert was so amazing that words can not express the quality that he brought to the "table" in terms of his PASSION for politics. The argument here today is actually pointless.
This man was worthy of the highest praise. God rest his soul. I will pay more attention to the world/country of politics because of his brilliance. That's all that counts.
RIP dear TIM.
God bless you.
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Remember now, you felt the need to come after me. You're need for my attention is flattering, but you're just to dumb to interest me.
Go away.
Your crazy need to make light of a political news leader/ hero and his "being" on this earth, was indeed ....all about your own ego, Rich. You are still an idiot. . . always will be.
Nothing new about that.
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To no one's surprise, I will have to disagree with Rich and others who have said that Russert was easier on liberals than he was on conservatives.
I know when Howard Dean appeared on MTP during the height of his frontrunner status, I hated Tim Russert with a passion. Conversely, later on, I came to see the failing was really Dean's fault. He didn't prepare. Russert called him on a lot of stuff that Dean had not really wanted to talk about and he got tripped up.
Many times, I felt that Russert had acted as a tool of the right. He was deeply involved in the Plame Affair but considering how folks have talked about him since he died, I think that he was used by Matalin and BushCo. He probably trusted people too much and got burned because of it.
And I know many times I've just been pissed because he'd have the panel stacked with rightwingers like Matalin, Broder and Saffire.
So, I think this is one of those situations that since everyone seems to think he was against them, then he must have been trying to be objective.
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>>To no one's surprise, I will have to disagree with Rich and others who have said that Russert was easier on liberals than he was on conservatives.<<
Hold a second Brass. Where did I say he was easier on liberals? I mentioned his political affilation. That's all.
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removed by moderator.
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>>disappear up your own bunghole.<<
Ever notice how BO is always mentioning things like "tallywackers", "bungholes", and other parts of the male anatomy. Why not just come out of the closet? I'm sure your mother will be proud.
You're a sniveling little coward BO. Go fuck yourself. You freaking degenerate.
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Removed by moderator ... that's nice.
Now I wonder if the people who who instigated this unprovoked attack will be disciplined.
::) <--- me not holding my breath
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Still, I am sure everyone here would watch a UTube of you running around in ever-diminishing circles until *poof!*, you disappeared up your own bunghole many, many times and would be highly amused.
Conversely, you could run around backwards in ever-diminishing circles until *gulp!*, you disappeared down your own gullet.
But I felt that the second option would have been less humorous.
I am aware that an amusing post is superior to an unamusing one.
What you actually lack, other than a decent education is the ability to say anything even slightly creative. Every post you put on this forum is filled with hate and insults, usually someone else's hate and insults.
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Scroll up
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Removed by moderator
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Removing a post hardly counts as discipline.
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Removing a post hardly counts as discipline.
I severely hate it when it comes to this , and it seems to happen regularly.
Rich , go cool off please , I have lobbied not to drop you before and I still want you to return , but if you arn't enjoying yourself don't .
Do your self a favor and use your talents for something good where they are appreiaciated.
I have just read up on Tim Russert and he appears to have been exactly the ideal member of a debate club. He was tough and opinionated but he wwas fair and willing to give a close examination to the embarrassing lapses of his favoriates. But as a moderator or as an interviewer he never let an interview or debate devolve into mere name calling , I myself shrink in comparison to his example , shame on me for letting flameing trollism flare in my feif.
And to everyone elese who is irritated with Rich , this is NOT one sided , I watched as the escalation commensed , shame on us all who fail to debate civilly .
If you THINK I mean YOU ...
Then I do.
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>>If you THINK I mean YOU ... Then I do.<<
I see. I'm attacked and you single me out.
Fuck you and this cesspool.
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>>If you THINK I mean YOU ... Then I do.<<
I see. I'm attacked and you single me out.
Fuck you and this cesspool.
I do mean you , and I do mean everyone elese who thinks invective is SOP.
So not just you.
I noted that you were receiveing some invective and I am not happy with that either.
Everyone who is sure of their own innocence , please partake not ,of my ire.
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I think someone has a case of the "Mondays".
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Still, I am sure everyone here would watch a UTube of you running around in ever-diminishing circles until *poof!*, you disappeared up your own bunghole many, many times and would be highly amused.
Conversely, you could run around backwards in ever-diminishing circles until *gulp!*, you disappeared down your own gullet.
But I felt that the second option would have been less humorous.
I am aware that an amusing post is superior to an unamusing one.
What you actually lack, other than a decent education is the ability to say anything even slightly creative. Every post you put on this forum is filled with hate and insults, usually someone else's hate and insults.
What you actually lack, other than a decent education is the ability to say anything even slightly creative. Every post you put on this forum is filled with hate and insults, usually someone else's hate and insults.
God, you are good, XO.
IT's a pleasure to have you on this board. To think ..you used to hang on in the Phoenix room .....the board is well rounded because of you.
Rich is a sad case of the Monday Mooners. He has no clue how to treat others. Bully is as bully does, but he has the right to speak.
I find that hard to lose...the board used to keep those rude comments online....but I suppose we have to follow a sort of regulatory grace now a days. Thanks to BT.
Tim Russert was a fine man, and I think what boils me the most is the lack of respect from someone like Rich...or any other human being who choses to run amuck with his slander and pout.
Grace and class hold for a hell of a lot.
You have both, imo. XO
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Gee, thanks, Cynthia ;)
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Gee, thanks, Cynthia ;)
I tend to think along the same lines as you do, Xavier, but you have a way of phrasing such critical points/ thoughts with such eloquence. There is an essence in a debate that transcends more than words. The gut knows. You know the common folk. You know the reality of many a topic at the raw point.....and that is multi-leveled.
hey
You're welcome.
Cyn
;D