I Feel for NBC News Today.

[MadBadger]

When I wake up in the morning, until KO's repeat, I spend most of my time when I watch TV with MSNBC. I keep my TV on that network as much as I can because I believe their politics is as close as I can get to mine on television. They are not without flaws, but I still like them. Today I really feel for their loss. Seeing Chuck Todd to the point of tears really made my eyes tear. I realize they are just a television network and has sufficiently pissed me off many times, but I still always come back to MSNBC and NBC. When I watch the news, I tune into Brian WIlliams. When i tune in Sunday Morning, it is always Meet the Press. My nights are filled with Hardball, Countdown, and yes even Race for the White House. And to be honest, KO is exactly right. There really is little better when MSNBC has the old wise men on to do political coverage (Tim, Tom, and Brian). I see these people just about every day of my life and welcome them into my homes for multiple hours of the day. Their loss feels like my loss. I could not feel more upset for these people who have entertained and informed me for the past few years.

You know, I was listening to Fox Radio today because nobody else on Sirius was covering this. I was shocked to find John Gibson, a real terrible man, give Tim his due in his coverage, attacking any of his listeners who talked down to Tim on the day of his death. But something struck me about the way some of his callers and Gibson spoke about him. Many said that they loved bringing Tim into their homes every Sunday morning, even though he is a liberal. They thought though he was a liberal, that he was always fair. And then I come here and here the opposite, about how he will be missed, but was a partisan for the REpublicans. That to me is a sign of a fair journalist, when both sides think he is the opposite of their viewpoint. He was a fair journalist and tough to all sides. Chuck Todd was right today when he said that this election season wont be the same without him. There will be a gaping hole in NBC and MSNBC's election coverage this year. But I have faith that with the help of Chuck Todd, Brokaw and the team over at NBC, they will do just fine.

[gateley]

1. You make a good point.

On watching clips of the tributes from his colleagues, a couple mentioned that he was an Independent and that they really didn't know what his political leanings were.

[Occam Bandage]

2. I honestly never got any sort of political impression from him, left or right. I was glad

when he went after righty guests, and offended when he went after lefty guests--but I understood that was his job in both situations. I thought he was a bit overzealous during the Clinton impeachment, but then again, he was a journalist following a story to its end, even if it turned out to be a silly and pointless story. Ah well.

I think, all things considered, that Tim Russert was one of the best television journalists in recent American political history. He wasn't perfect, but he was pretty damn good. I suppose I'll miss him a bit.

[MadBadger]

3. I heard today on Gibson's radio show a perfect description of him as a journalist

He would have a guest on his show and do a bunch of research on the candidate's positions and take the other side. He was a master at playing devil's advocate.

[goletian]

4. very sad to know hes gone.

i didnt really watch his show, and i didnt follow his work much, but the few times i saw him, i could tell he was a very decent person. always had a great attitude about him, like he was happy with his life. very positive human being. had an aura about him others lack. didnt watch him much, but ive never been more upset over the death of a tv/movie personality. i was close to tears thinking about it, and im not even a "fan."

[Algorem]

5. NBC "News" can take a flying fuck at a rolling donut.

[MadBadger]

6. C'mon, there's more hate. Let it all out.

I'm sorry if I feel for KO, Tweety, Brian Williams, Tom Brokaw, Chuck Todd. Those guys are great in my book, and I feel for them today.

[Algorem]

8. maybe you could clean the bathrooms at one of their mansions for them

give those bigtime plutocrats' beeyotches a break from paying that minimum wage

come on,show your love

[Name removed]

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[kath]

11. Tweety? Great?

uh er uh sputter...

yeah, great. Like Russert. sure. American press good. doing fine job of protecting democracy. Russert best format for Cheney - uh - very very good. Love debate questions about UFOs. And "journalists" screaming about "Clinton's cock! Clinton's Cock!". And sucking Bush's and Cheney's. and screaming "Gore's a liar! Gore's a liar!"
All very good.


wow, the soma is really working around here.

[greyghost]

13. AMEN.Self serving hacks!

[grantcart]

7. Tim had some great assets

1) He always had a well researched point

2) He pressed but was always curteous

3) He had great family values and even his cheering the Bills was endearing


He was frustrating sometimes because he would persue a trivial point with the vigor of major justifications of the war.

But he got more hits than he struck out, by a lot.

And he loved his job.

I don't think the criticism right versus left was significant as much as he gave the same weight to every point whether it was earth shattering or inconsequential.

I will miss him.

If the rest of the journalists had his ethics it is doubtful that this country would be in the place it is today.

He died the same age as my father and his son is just a couple of years older than I was. I am happy that he atleast saw his

son graduate and have nothing but profound sympathy for his family and his colleagues who had an obvious deep affection for him.

[Name removed]

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[H2O Man]

12. As I'm sure you know,

he graduated from law school, and worked for Daniel Patrick Moynihan and Mario Cuomo, before becoming a journalist.

His education in the legal field was a major influence on his work in the media. Every law school student learns how to present as strong a case as possible, both pro and con, about any given topic. More, many learn to step away from their own personal beliefs, and to be either neutral when dealing with an important issue, or to defend what they find objectionable.

Numerous politicians and journalists compared Russert's interviewing skills to that of either a prosecutor, or a trial attorney. These comparisons were made when Tim Russert was alive, and are not simply a kind word after his death.

Chris Matthews told about something that a number of people found offensive about Russert -- his obvious support of the invasion of Iraq. Off camera, Matthews questioned why Russert seemed to support the administration? Russert said it was due to Saddam's nuclear program. Like many Americans, he had not believed that Bush, Cheney, Rice and Powell would outright lie to the American people. I hold the liars responsible for that.

In the Plame scandal, Russert acted honorably. There is a thread that illustrates a total lack of insight on DU:GD, which falsely claims Russert did "everything short of going to jail to avoid testifying." This is fiction, at very best.

As an employee, he understood that his company's attorneys were calling the shots. In fact, the attorneys for all but one of the journalists called would coordinate the effort to restrict Patrick Fitzgerald's attempts to get them to testify. Only Novak, who was told by his attorney that he had to speak to the FBI, was willing without restriction. (Not the first time Bob did this.)

Russert had already spoken to the FBI before he testified. NBC attorneys easily reached an agreement with Fitzgerald on what areas he would question Russert. Tim Russert never was threatened with jail, and never came close to it.