No, this is a fair assessment. Russert gave as many passes as some others who know better.

But in these last years, those who didn't give a pass became objects of derision. Look at Helen Thomas. And, though not in the media, look at Dennis Kucinich.

I'll never understand what the appeal was or is about George Bush, either as a leader or a person. But whatever it could be, that combined with the rah rah, America's great, let's get those damned terrorists mentality after September 11, 2001 created a perfect storm that seemed to make journalists fear that they'd be labeled unpatriotic if they exercised any critical thinking.

So Russert, like other of his colleagues at NBC, CBS, and ABC, tarnished their own legacies by making how they looked to others more important than how they performed their jobs.

The response of MSNBC to Tim Russert's death is emblematic of the problems with the MSM.

Reporting the death of Russert, the NBC News Washington Bureau Chief, is news. Paying tribute to Russert, is understandable. But the tribute is quickly becoming martyrdom, as MSNBC News devotes non-stop coverage of all things Tim. And the irony is, the coverage is not preempting the reporting of scheduled news, but rather the regurgitation of infernal prison "doc-blocks".

I actually view your insight as being too mild in nature if you keep in mind the vile nature of how Timmy let our hunta in government get away with all they did. Yes, too bad that he has died but I'll always remember him as "Timmy The Whore".

Thanks for the post, MsJoanne. I agree wholeheartedly.

If Tim Russert was the best broadcast journalist we had, as many are saying, then that's a poor commentary on what we have left. I never thought his badgering style led to any important revelations from his guests, like whether Condi was going to run for president in 2008. Since it turns out she didn't run, Russert's time would have been better spent pinning her down on something important. But no, that was pure Russert: go after the trivial. Her answer, by the way, was a definitive no.

Maybe he was a great person in real life. Maybe he was a mentor to some. I have no way of knowing, since I didn't know him personally. In his role as a TV journalist, the only role I do know, he was mediocre on his best days. Maybe he looks like a giant now because everyone else is so puny.

But also, the vain press loves a story about itself more than any other story, and in elevating Russert, they of course elevate themselves. They'll do the same for O'Reilly and Matthews and the rest.

I've tried to Google old interviews Russert did with the current administration, but they are too hard to dig up right now because of all the obituaries. I think the only accurate assessment of Russert's journalistic merits can be divined from the archives.

You are right on the money with this post. I am sorry for his family. That is as far as my sympathy goes. I hold the same amount of regard for Russert as I do for any the sideshow freaks on TV. They will get respect as soon as they earn respect. As it is, I find very few who earn anything other than derision and anger.

This is the commentary I was looking for. Thanks and well done.

Your post is right on the mark. I agree; it's sad for his wife, son and extended family. And, it's at the same time true that his work as a journalist left most of us on the left not just disappointed but downright pissed. He could have had a big positive impact on American (world?) life.

I think the reason many have such a problem with this type of post is because we in the west have such a negative view of death. We're all gonna follow Tim.

Russert was all that's been written here and more.

Right on, raider99. There are very few journalists today that would warrant the adulation pouring out for Russert. Certainly not Russert.

In this time of historic consequence for this nation, very few passed the test. In my book, Bill Moyers and the McClatchy team come to mind and a few of the old pros like Walter Pincus and Seymour Hersh. And, I'm liking Dan Rather lately for some of his stands, especially his speech the other day at the National Conference on Media Reform.

And, as you point out, Jon Stewart comes far closer to the truth with comedy than the MSM EVER will.

You people are heartless, for the most part. Regardless of fair criticisms of Russert's work, no one is perfect, the fact that you're so self-involved as to post about it before his body is laid to rest shows a real lack of humanity.

Tim nailed everyone when he could, regardless of party. He was a great journalist and a dedicated father, husband and son. Can't we at least wait a little while before we turn on the venom for the deceased?

I'm sure I will now be ridiculed and labeled a Republican, since that's how these boards go. Just think about having some fucking sensitivity.

Agree with you MsJoanne but I'm willing to cut MSNBC some slack since he basically died in the office in front of his co-workers.

Compared to the rest of the bunch, doing the same thing (and I'm excluding Moyers and Thomas), he at least 'prepared' and IMO took it a step further then the rest.

Yes, he could have done more and he could have gone farther, but he didn't.

He's dead too soon and his coworkers are clearly devastated which to me is one hell of a tribute to the kind of man he must have been.

I always learned something from Meet the Press, can't really say I was that impressed with his debate moderating skills...RIP, TR...

Just read on C&L, NBC is looking at hacks de jour David Gregory, Joe Scarborough and Chris Matthews to host Press the Flesh. What a joke. If NBC were serious about good interviewing with well thought out, tough questions, these jokers ain’t it. Someone such as David Shuster would be ideal.

Well, I didn't know the man personally, so I feel nothing. One is always sorry when something like this happens, but I've long been of the opinion that simply dying does not erase the bad things you did when you were alive.

I have never been a fan of Tim Russert's; I'm not a fan of many of our current journalists.

I think they are a disgrace. We handed them the freest fucking press on earth - so important it merited the very first fucking amendment. And this is what they did with it - turned it into a propaganda organization for their corporate masters.

So just cause he died - pace - I don't forgive him either.

Russert was a young man, a very good family man and good guy. He had a very successful career. His accomplishments, personal and professional are meritorious and it is natural that his friends and collegues would drop everything to pay tribute. His critics, appropriately, were not aired at the moment of his passing. It would be far more constructive, at this point, to take on the journalists and TV personalities that are still alive and call them to account. Speaking ill of the dead only diminishes the speaker.

When criticism is made as events unfold, we are told that we are rushing to judgement.

When criticism is made at a later date, we are told that we are living in the past.

When criticism is made following an individual's death, we are told that we are disrespectful.

And when we ask when would it be an appropriate time to offer criticism, we are told that history will be the judge.

In other words, it's inappropriate to hold select individuals accountable in our lifetime.

When Joe McCarthy died Dean Acheson's response to inquiries from the press was the Latin : Nil Nisi Bonum etc. "one should only speak well of the dead".

That infuriated some of the conservative commentators who considered it condescending but
personally that's the approach with which I feel most comfortable .

At this time.

After some passage of time it would be be appropriate to assess objectively Russert's career. Not right now.

From a couple of friends who met him socially I gather he was pleasant company. If that were not the case perhaps I'd feel differently. But probably not. Except for clearly evil people I think the Nil Nisi Bonum rule is a good one.

AOBTW there are plenty of live commentators whom we can and should criticize.

Certainly there should be consequences for a journalist who fails to properly exercise his obligation to do his job right.

But not for his relatives and friends when they are mourning his death.

The world wasn't created yesterday. There are certain standards of decency which seem to have bave been observed in many different societies at many different times. Thus Nil Nisi Bonum in 2000 year old Latin. And the funerals which, e.g. the Israelis permit after they have killed a political enemy (or substitute Hamas and Fatah if you prefer- the point is not to take sides in that particular struggle but to illustrate the near universality of the instinct not to interfere with the honoring someone who has recently died)

Surely these standards should be challanged as you are doing to see whether they still apply.
But the burden of proof is on the challenger.

Finally ,in pure pragmatism , what makes political sense ? Will Obama benefit from this exchange ? Or will the Right seize
on some of the comments here as an example of why the electorate should distrust the Left ?