An incredible loss, on so many levels.

Jo-Ann,

Re: Tim's suggestion, around 5 years ago an African American judicial candidate here in the Cleveland area who had and Irish sounding last name. I think it was Sweeny. This is a heavily Irish area and many of the judges are Irish. Her handouts had green clovers on them and gave you the impression she was Irish.

She won.

while I feel for Russert’s family and have no wish to be churlish, the salient fact for me of Russert’s career is that he was the preeminent Washington reporter of his time; the same time that the Bush/Cheney regime achieved a stranglehold on the press, and turned our 4th estate into a propaganda outlet.

Russert was seduced or coerced into serving as the “platform” for Cheney’s most outrageous and important lies. Material was leaked to Judy Miller in the morning, and pounded in by Cheney in the afternoon.

Russert had to know what was going on - but he rarely posed even one question.

I’m sure he was a great guy - but as journalist, he was a failure at the time when our democracy needed him most.

A poster at kos linked to this WaPo story from last year that summed up Russert’s special relationship with Cheney:

In Ex-Aide’s Testimony, A Spin Through VP’s PR

Flashed on the courtroom computer screens were her notes from 2004 about how Cheney could respond to allegations that the Bush administration had played fast and loose with evidence of Iraq’s nuclear ambitions. Option 1: “MTP-VP,” she wrote, then listed the pros and cons of a vice presidential appearance on the Sunday show. Under “pro,” she wrote: “control message.”

“I suggested we put the vice president on ‘Meet the Press,’ which was a tactic we often used,” Martin testified. “It’s our best format.”

http://www.washingtonpost.com/.....51_pf.html

It’s not my intention to knock Russert when he’s just died, but the facts of a public figure’s career is relevant to the discussion when that person pasess on.

My condolences to the Russert family. They lost a son and father. This is not equal to his loss to the 'journalistic ' community. It is so much more. I was not a fan. I felt he brought up questions regarding the administrations scandals, took an answer, no matter how gratuitious and lame, as fact and had no follow up to hold their feet to the fire. Which is what I thought the Fourth Estate was supposed to do. Expose and help eradicate lies and corruption in administrations. The Fourth Estate, not just Russert, did more to castigate Clinton for stains on a blue dress than they have/are for a war based on lies, corruption in this and the Iraqi governments, nepotisn, and incompetence. Not to forget their giving the Republicans in congress a pass for obstructionism. He was part of the corporate media. Fortunately there is the internet where these egregious actions are not only exposed but kept alive until the MSM HAS to report on it.

I have to be very honest, Russert represented some things I just cannot abide by, but that's for another day. He was a kind man and he did die way too soon. Tells the rest of us that we have to get our acts together, because tomorrow is never promised.

Activism today, change hopefully soon.

http://www.zmag.org

tim russert was the leader of America's current crop of journalists

and today's journalists SUCK

dan rather just wrote a well received article about the crisis in American journalism

you can still read it at truthout

punkinhead was the leader who lead the profession into serious decline

remind me again why this is such a tragic loss ???

good riddiance, I say

Russert infuriated me at times, only because as good as he could be was he would give GOP talking points undeserved credibility in his attempts to be "impartial". But that is a discussion for another day.

That being said I was shocked and saddened to hear of his unexpected passing at such a young age. I want to pass along sincerest condolences to his family and friends.