Much has already been said about the passing of Tim Russert. We were shocked and saddened by his sudden passing as we celebrate Father's Day. I felt it fitting to give myself until Sunday to do my best to process all this and wait until Sunday to share my thoughts.
Tim Russert will be missed by millions. The countless testimonials given on NBC give us insight as to how much this common man from Buffalo, NewYork touched so many of us in a eay that is anything but common.
You could say this political journey of Tim's started when his father Big Russ launched him into the street to touch the hand of John F. Kennedy or when the Sister at his school guided him into journalism to channel him from shall we say his precoscious ways. Which ever it may be,we need to thanks them. It also goes without saying that his political education received a tremendous jolt working for Mario Cuomo and Daniel Patrick Moynahan. Talk about two giants there. I hold so much respect for Tim's objectivity in a time where that is such a rare thing.
They say that Tim was firm but fair in his questioning but when you work as hard to prepare for the longest running TV show as he did, is getting a straight answer too much to ask. It was a well known fact that you didn't bother asking Tim out on the town on a Saturday night because he was too busy preparing to enlighten us on Sunday.
My father-in law is ninetyfive and in a nursing home. He struggles with his health and his understanding is often clouded but he still has lucid moments. when I described Tim's passing away his response was, "he put too much pressure on himself". I find that profound but I think that's the only way Tim Russert knew how to do it.
I feel that I have to be honest in my comments because Tim would want it no other way. I confess that I so much took this larger than life Teddy Bear for granted. Now the reason I'm going to give for this isn't to let myself off the hook but to pay tribute to Tim Russert. He had such a gift for making the show about the issues and his guests that I often didn't even recognize his prescence. Well I can tell you that that will never happen again. His passing will leave a large void in my Sunday mornings and I will miss him.