I'll sure miss him. 1950-2008.

(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. - CNN

Appreciation: Tim Russert, 1950-2008 - Time

'Tragic loss for journalism' - MSNBC

I'm not glad he's dead or anything but Russert was a media hack the likes of which our airwaves will be better off without.

I've been a fan of "Russert Watch" at the Huffington Post, and this man was well known for not asking the obvious follow-up questions, and letting outrageous claims go unchallenged. He continually let Cheney link Iraq to 9/11 for example.

For this type of "journalist" access to the White House was more important than the truth.

He may have been a wonderful husband and a great father, but he seriously failed the American public.

Huffington Post? I prefer the accolades given Russert by his legitimate peers. In my opinion, there were not enough words to express his contributions to journalism.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by GarColga:
I'm not glad he's dead or anything but Russert was a media hack the likes of which our airwaves will be better off without.

I've been a fan of "Russert Watch" at the Huffington Post, and this man was well known for not asking the obvious follow-up questions, and letting outrageous claims go unchallenged. He continually let Cheney link Iraq to 9/11 for example.

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Hi Gar:

I guess you'd prefer a real strong interviewer like Larry"Softball"King

or Keith "Who's Biased" Olbermann

or Chris "I hate Hillary,but love Obama"Matthews.

Those media hacks???

hippolips

Upfront admission in the name of candor, I have not watched a Sunday news show or talking head week day show for decades, so I can't speak to the quality of Mr. Russert's programs. I did, however, catch the tribute show to him last night with Olberman hosting, and quite frankly, I was surprised at the way in which all commentators were setting him up for canonization: intelligent, well-read, hard hitting yet courteous, etc. I fail to see why anyone of the fourth estate should be lauded to such excess. It may well be indicative of the overblown sense of importance they have for each other; great ordinary people die everyday without this sort of fanfare. Will they shut the country down when Uncle Walter goes to that great newsroom in the sky?

quote:

Originally posted by coldfuse:
Huffington Post? I prefer the accolades given Russert by his legitimate peers. In my opinion, there were not enough words to express his contributions to journalism.

"Russert Watch" is (was) also carried by the Columbia Journalism Review. Plenty legitimate I would think.

"The Columbia Journalism Review (CJR) is an American magazine for professional journalists published bimonthly by the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism since 1961."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columbia_Journalism_Review

quote:

Originally posted by hippolips:
[QUOTE]Originally posted by GarColga:
I'm not glad he's dead or anything but Russert was a media hack the likes of which our airwaves will be better off without.

I've been a fan of "Russert Watch" at the Huffington Post, and this man was well known for not asking the obvious follow-up questions, and letting outrageous claims go unchallenged. He continually let Cheney link Iraq to 9/11 for example.

_____________________________________________________________________

Hi Gar:

I guess you'd prefer a real strong interviewer like Larry"Softball"King

or Keith "Who's Biased" Olbermann

or Chris "I hate Hillary,but love Obama"Matthews.

Those media hacks???

hippolips

I don't care at all for Larry King, his popularity is a complete mystery to me.

Olbermann I don't know too well but he seems to annoy the hell out of the wingnuts - so I like him!

Chris Matthews I was indifferent about until the episode with the Republitard radio host comparing Obama to Neville Chamberlain. Hilarious.

quote:

I guess you'd prefer a real strong interviewer like Larry"Softball"King

or Keith "Who's Biased" Olbermann

or Chris "I hate Hillary,but love Obama"Matthews.

Those media hacks???

I think it would be more valuable to direct comments to what gar is saying rather than to speculate as to his preferences in journalistic or pseudo-journalistic talking heads. It was gar who sometime ago, and I don't remember where, commented on the number of WW II veterans who die each day, with next to no recognition. Those are the great ordinary citizens, among others, I was referring to above. Russert may have been an extraordinary journalist, I don't know. But it seems to me that when his colleagues say that the US will be a lesser place because of his death, we have a great example of hyperbole.

quote:

Originally posted by juanruiz:
[QUOTE]I guess you'd prefer a real strong interviewer like Larry"Softball"King

or Keith "Who's Biased" Olbermann

or Chris "I hate Hillary,but love Obama"Matthews.

Those media hacks???

I think it would be more valuable to direct comments to what gar is saying rather than to speculate as to his preferences in journalistic or pseudo-journalistic talking heads.

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Hi Juan:

Iwas responding to what Gar is saying.

Read the first line in his post

:"I'm not glad he's dead or anything,but Russert was a media hack"

...his words,not mine.

hippolips

Perhaps, but then you followed with the "I guess..." which was the speculation I was referring to. No offense intended.

quote:

Originally posted by juanruiz:
Perhaps, but then you followed with the "I guess..." which was the speculation I was referring to. No offense intended.

___________________________________________

Hi Juan:

None taken...no harm,no foul.

hippolips

quote:

no harm,no foul.

I guess you listened to Chick Hearn too.

I've enjoyed Tim Russert over the past few years. Like anyone, he wasn't always right, but I always believed he cared deeply about politics and was trying to bring the best story he could to his audience.

But in a more selfish vane, I've been very interested in learning about his heart attack and why it was fatal in his case. I suffered the same type of attack in 2004, yet I survived after heart surgery and then plenty of ICU patient care.

In my case, I had the heart attack right in the emergency room while hooked up to an IV and with a cardiac physician standing by my bed. For that I can thank my wife who insisted that I needed to go to the hospital when I complained of chest pains.

I know I had a strong case of denial going and I didn't want to go to the hospital, but every day I've lived since is because I did get to the hospital in time.

Tim, I wish you'd had the benefit of my good fortune; I'll miss you.

I watched his program quite a bit and I challenge the concept that he didn't follow up. He had Cheney on - Cheney linked Iraq to 9-11 - then Cheney denied it - then Russert brought that inconsistency to light very effectively. I do not recall all the particulars but I do remember watching his program where he did a "let's consider this one more time...here's what he said and here's what he's saying he said." I wasn't all together pleased with some of his interviews but for the most part he asked the pertinent questions and let the person respond as they saw fit.

We need more journalists that don't scream and carry on like fools for the audience. I think Tim Russert was a pretty good example of how to behave as a professional political journalist.

He had Cheney on any number of times. You can easily find transcripts of Cheney's MTP appearances using Google.

I've read a few of them dating back to 2002, and I don't see Russert asking the tough questions that he should have been asking.

On Sep 14, 2003, Cheney said this: "...If we’re successful in Iraq, if we can stand up a good representative government in Iraq, that secures the region so that it never again becomes a threat to its neighbors or to the United States, so it’s not pursuing weapons of mass destruction, so that it’s not a safe haven for terrorists, now we will have struck a major blow right at the heart of the base, if you will, the geographic base of the terrorists who have had us under assault now for many years, but most especially on 9/11...."

Russert followed up with "So the resistance in Iraq is coming from those who were responsible for 9/11?"

Cheney blathers on and Russert drops the subject.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3080244/

The fact is that if Russert had been asking tough questions and holding Cheney's feet to the fire like he should have been doing, the representatives of BushCo would simply have stopped appearing on Meet The Press. Bad for ratings I guess, can't have that.

quote:

Originally posted by GarColga:
["Russert Watch" is (was) also carried by the Columbia Journalism Review. Plenty legitimate I would think.

"The Columbia Journalism Review (CJR) is an American magazine for professional journalists published bimonthly by the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism since 1961."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columbia_Journalism_Review

It is my impression that "Russert Watch" represents the rantings of Todd Gitlin, one member of the CJR, against Tim Russert. Please correct me if I am wrong.