Tim Russert’s untimely death is upsetting on so many levels. He was an outstanding journalist in a field that demands honor and integrity yet we rarely see it. Tim asked the tough questions but he did so in a civil, professional manner. He was the only political analyst I would watch. I trusted him, counted on him to make sense out of the system when it seemed nobody else could.
This will be a complicated election compounded by the fact that Tim won’t be in the middle of it. The contenders are both claiming they are right and the other is wrong. Statements made and misinterpreted or maybe spun in a way never intended. How will we know the truth? Who will referee the game?
His death serves to remind us just how fragile life can be. Tim lived a full life by anyone’s standards but he wasn’t done yet, he was just getting started. He made our lives better by challenging us to be better citizens, by pushing our political leaders to be accountable, and by insisting on journalistic integrity. He made us better Americans.
He loved his family and truly loved our country and its political process. He will be sorely missed and I hope that Meet the Press will continue his legacy of asking the tough questions in a fair non-partisan manner.
In honor of Tim Russert who loved being a son and a father more than anything else, happy Father’s Day.
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