(CNN) -- Tim Russert, who became one of America's leading political journalists as the host of NBC's "Meet the Press," died Friday, according to the network. He was 58.
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Tim Russert joined NBC in 1984 and established himself as the face of the network's political coverage.
The network said Russert suffered a heart attack while at work and could not be revived. He had just returned from a family vacation in Italy to celebrate the graduation of his son, Luke, from Boston College.
Russert joined the network in 1984 and quickly established himself as the face of the network's political coverage.
In 1985 he supervised live broadcasts of the "Today" show from Rome, negotiating an appearance by Pope John Paul II -- a first for American television.
He took the helm of "Meet the Press" in 1991, turning the long-running Sunday-morning interview program into the most-watched show of its kind in the United States.
Washingtonian Magazine once dubbed Russert the best and most influential journalist in Washington, describing "Meet the Press" as "the most interesting and important hour on television."
In 2008, Time Magazine named him one of the 100 most influential people in the world.
Remembering Russert
He was one of the most influential names in politics. Larry King remembers the late Tim Russert in a special hour.
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His two books -- 2004's "Big Russ and Me" and 2006's "Wisdom of Our Fathers" were both New York Times best sellers.
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Russert served as press secretary for former New York Gov. Mario Cuomo and as chief of staff to Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan, a New York Democrat who died in 2003.
Russert was born in 1950 in Buffalo, New York, the son of Timothy John Russert Sr. -- a newspaper truck driver and sanitation worker who was the "Big Russ" from his autobiography -- and Elizabeth Russert, a homemaker.
Wow. Quite a surprise.
It's 106 miles to Chicago, we got a full tank of gas, half a pack of cigarettes, it's dark... and we're wearing sunglasses.
Hit it. Blank Yellow (NSFW)
Indeed, there is definitely a lot I disagreed with him on, but he's like that real friendly uncle of the family that everyone loves.
He always conducted his interviews with a strong sense of professionalism.
58...that's far too young.
Brains! "I would ask if the irony of starting a war to spread democracy while ignoring public opinion polls at home would occur to George W. Bush, but then I check myself and realize that
I'm talking about a trained monkey."-Darth Wong "All I ever got was "evil liberal commie-nazi". Yes, he called me a communist nazi."-DPDarkPrimus
I'm not the biggest fan of most main-stream American TV newsmen, but Tim Russert always seemed like he was one of the most professional of them. 58 is far too young.
I was on my way home from work when it happened. I can only imagine what's going on there now, and what's going to happen in the future. He was our DC Bureau chief and it's going to be pretty hard to fill his shoes.
To Absent Friends
Dalton | Admin Smash | Knight of the Order of SDN
"y = mx + bro" - Surlethe
"You try THAT shit again, kid, and I will mod you. I will
mod you so hard, you'll wish I were Dalton." - Lagmonster
God-damn it! He was my favorite Sunday Show Host - I really liked "Meet The Press". I feel really sorry for his family, though; they were still on a vacation. Can you imagine getting a phone call while you are vacationing in Italy to hear that your father/husband has just died?
Dalton wrote:I was on my way home from work when it happened. I can only imagine what's going on there now, and what's going to happen in the future. He was our DC Bureau chief and it's going to be pretty hard to fill his shoes.
Does MSNBC have any type of replacement lined up, or even ideas on who was eventually going to replace Russert on "Meet the Press"?
“It is possible to commit no mistakes and still lose. That is not a weakness. That is life.” -Jean-Luc Picard
"Men are afraid that women will laugh at them. Women are afraid that men will kill them." -Margaret Atwood
Guardsman Bass wrote:Does MSNBC have any type of replacement lined up, or even ideas on who was eventually going to replace Russert on "Meet the Press"?
I don't have the slightest idea as to whom the replacement may be, but they'll likely find a fill-in host for at least this Sunday, probably Chris Matthews or similar.
To Absent Friends
Dalton | Admin Smash | Knight of the Order of SDN
"y = mx + bro" - Surlethe
"You try THAT shit again, kid, and I will mod you. I will
mod you so hard, you'll wish I were Dalton." - Lagmonster
Sorry, a shame that someone's died, but how was Tim Russert anyone's favorite anything? This guy was one of the chief enablers of the Bush administration's lies and propaganda, and his show was a favorite of theirs to carry their water, ffs - by their own admission. He was a sorry excuse for a journalist, like most other media stars.
Vympel wrote:Sorry, a shame that someone's died, but how was Tim Russert anyone's favorite anything? This guy was one of the chief enablers of the Bush administration's lies and propaganda, and his show was a favorite of theirs to carry their water, ffs - by their own admission. He was a sorry excuse for a journalist, like most other media stars.
Well, he was no worse than anyone else out there with a talk show, and I think he was the best questioner in the Democratic Primary debates.
“It is possible to commit no mistakes and still lose. That is not a weakness. That is life.” -Jean-Luc Picard
"Men are afraid that women will laugh at them. Women are afraid that men will kill them." -Margaret Atwood
Vympel wrote:Sorry, a shame that someone's died, but how was Tim Russert anyone's favorite anything? This guy was one of the chief enablers of the Bush administration's lies and propaganda, and his show was a favorite of theirs to carry their water, ffs - by their own admission. He was a sorry excuse for a journalist, like most other media stars.
Agreed
The man was a nothing, hard hitting journalist? Please, he was a nice face, an empty face. I will neither morn nor celebrate the man's passing. Like the other two hundred odd people who died today to me he is nothing but a statistic.
Guardsman Bass wrote:
Well, he was no worse than anyone else out there with a talk show, and I think he was the best questioner in the Democratic Primary debates.
He was no better either, by that yard stick I will morn the passing of the channel sixteen weather man much more than I will most of the current talking heads. At least he is fairly often correct and seems to be good at his job.
"A cult is a religion with no political power." -Tom Wolfe Pardon me for sounding like a dick, but I'm playing the tiniest violin in the world right now-Dalton
