Tim Russert, 1950-2008

There certainly was not a dry eye in my house Sunday morning during Meet the Press. We had a special affinity for the show here, and our thoughts are with Tim’s family and his executive producer Betsy Fischer, who is a well known entity with the up-and-coming cancer researchers at the NIH in Bethesda, having befriended many hard working, underpaid young MD’s over the years.

Tim’s son Luke will be on the Today show Monday morning in an interview, via satellite, with Matt Lauer and the Memorial Service will be televised on MSNBC Wednesday afternoon, live from the Kennedy Center .

As Doris Kearns Goodwin noted in her epic biography, Team of Rivals, when Lincoln died War Secreatary Edwin Stanton famously declared:

“Now he belongs to the ages”

Tim Russert chronicled over two decades of American History, and the history books will be as kind to Tim as they have been to Lincoln.

Of course, now they both belong to the ages, and I am sure they are having one hell of a chat right about now.

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The First 10 minutes of Meet the Press this past Sunday:

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The Last Ten Minutes of Meet the Press, including NBC’s moving Tribute to Tim at the end of the clip

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Luke Russert, a chip off the old block. He spoke with Matt Lauer of the Today Show for 14 minutes Monday morning, June 16, 2008.

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Conan on Tim Russert

Russert’s son Luke did a stint as an intern on Conan’s NBC’s show, but Tim was rather dubious of the value of working with Conan.

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Tim Russert was a huge Springsteen fan, even bringing Bruce to his alma mater, John Carrol University, to play a gig in the late 70’s. Bruce dedicated his version of Thunder Road to Tim this weekend at a concert in Europe.

Thunder Road, Paris, 1985

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