Tim Russert

It seems that every media outlet has reported on the untimely death of NBC Washington Bureau Chief and Meet the Press host, Tim Russert at age 58.

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He was my favorite political reporter. Before moving to Japan, I used to regularly TiVo only two programs: The Daily Show and Meet the Press. Here in Japan, those are still the only two TV shows I watch (over the internet).

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What I really liked about him was his love of politics, his enthusiasm, his incredible preparation, his lack of arrogance, and tough questioning. Until I started reading his obituaries, I didn't realize that he started out in politics working for two prominent Democratic politicians: the late NY Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan (a distant relative of my former landlord in Belfast), and NY Governor Mario Cuomo. It is not difficult to glean the political leanings of some radio and TV hosts, but Russert was not one of them. He questioned everyone vigorously (but respectfully), Democrat and Republican alike.

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I knew that he was from Buffalo (he often ended broadcasts with "Go Bills"), graduated from John Carroll University (which is a 10 minute walk from my childhood home) as an undergraduate and Cleveland State law school, but I learned other things about him in the past day or two including the fact that his father was a sanitation worker. Maybe that's why he always came off as genuine and down to earth. His death is a huge loss for journalism in general and political journalism in particular.