Is no one else watching the tribute to Tim Russert on MSNBC?

[Rhiannon12866]

We've lost one of our own, today. Granted, he occasionally gave conservatives a big pass, but he also gave our candidates a whole hour on his show, loved the hour with John Edwards, though he asked some pretty tough questions, but that gave us more about our candidates. I mourn him, as NBC does. He was much too young to leave us, and I always looked forward to his show, even when I was working with CBS...:-) I feel very sad.;(

[bicentennial_baby]

1. it's a very nice tribute, my friend

Probably the best coverage of the day, so far. A very sad moment. I feel for his wife, son, father, and siblings. How very tragic. Sigh

:hug:

[Rhiannon12866]

27. I feel the same way, my friend.

I was having a tough night, so I turned this on. And when I woke up, it was still on! I certainly do feel for those he left behind, especially his Dad and his son, whom he talked about so often...;(

[laconicsax]

2. Nope.

[Rhiannon12866]

9. Oh, come on! He brought you the news...

As he did for me... :-)

[laconicsax]

12. Actually, no. He didn't.

I never watched MTP. I haven't had cable for a little over a year, and when I did, I avoided the cable news networks like the plague. I'm not watching it partially because I'm not able.

[Rhiannon12866]

23. Well, I did, tried not to miss it, since he had the best guests.

When I worked with CBS, I had to deal with the unpleasant women at "Face the Nation." LOL. I never watch that, now. But he gave many of our presidential candidates the full hour, and asked them some pretty tough questions. I was riveted to that, and made my choice. :-)

[Mountainman]

3. I have it on. I must say I am the odd man out.

[babylonsister]

4. I turned it off when it started repeating. Very nice tribute. nt

[ReverendDeuce]

5. It's very nice... These people DO seem genuinely saddened...

Keith, Mitchell, Shuster, and Brokaw all seem genuinely saddened by the loss of Timmy...

I know we'll miss him... We loved to watch MTP while going about our Sunday mornings...

[Olney Blue]

6. I'm sad too. I always enjoyed hearing his take on all things political.

[Rhiannon12866]

7. Thank you, my friends, and I was his harshest critic, ever.

But I will miss him, and the fair context of his guests, though I totally cringed when he sat Al Sharpton next to Jerry Falwell and Al kept leaning away, LOL. But they seemed to work it out... :shrug:

[gateley]

8. If I had cable, I'd be watching it with you.

I watched several clips on msnbc.com --

Hoping someone will post this tribute on YouTube.

[nadinbrzezinski]

10. Nice tribute, but... I knew you expected this

I've met many journos over my ten year career in EMS. Hell I even played PIO in many a small and large disaster. So I knew I had to watch my Ps and Qs on camera, tape, what have you.

And many journos did all they could to avoid becoming the story. I am sure he is shaking his head on his trip up to that voice tracking booth in the sky.

And why I am annoyed. I can understand a tribute, like was done for Murrow, at the bottom of the show, or even for Peter Jennings.

This wall to wall coverage is annoying since we have a full news day.

And off the record, many a journo said that... to me.

Perhaps it is another culture and another country.. or just my real annoyance as five states are underwater.

What makes ONE man more important than all those lives right now affected? Or the troops who will not come back home?

[Rhiannon12866]

21. Nothing does, my friend, and I understand where you're coming from.

His death is not anymore important than the last hapless soldier who is killed in Iraq, or the next person who drowns in a flood somewhere in the midwest. But I think that we can learn something from this, watching the news media mourning one of its own. It's been on for going on 15 hours, and I've learned some history, by leaving it on... :hi:

[Selatius]

11. I don't watch TV too much.

[nuxvomica]

13. I couldn't bear to watch the coverage

It was too soon for me to see all those clips of this once-vivacious individual, a vessel for my scorn every Sunday morning for several years but a brother in our shared passion for "the game". I tried watching this morning but unfortunately Peggy Noonan was on and I can only take so much of that swooning, lying plagiarist. David Gregory called her "eloquent" and I was thankful I hadn't had breakfast yet. That aside, I will miss Timmeh and I am very sad right now. :(

[Rhiannon12866]

17. I understand, my friend. But even she gave Tim high marks.

He worked for Democrats, but was a guy who asked everyone the tough questions. They are flying the flags in Buffalo at half-mast...;(

[Rhiannon12866]

29. BTW, when do you need me?

I had a rough night, have yet to make the brownies, though I did make three dozen PB cookies...:-)

[madokie]

14. I say he was but a tool who allowed himself to be used by the bush/cheney cabal

nothing more.

[Rhiannon12866]

15. And he gave progressives an equal shot.

I watched the entire hour that he gave to John Edwards, which totally sold him to me as my candidate. Tim asked him some very tough questions, but I felt JRE answered them honestly. :-)

[tabasco]

34. I concur.

I have no admiration for cowards.

[cornermouse]

16. Why would I want to watch that?

I didn't like him.

[Rhiannon12866]

18. I ridiculed him too. But I can't imagine Sundays without him.

:shrug:

[cornermouse]

22. Somehow, I think we will manage to survive.

[Rhiannon12866]

38. Of course we will. We've survived quite a lot, even in my lifetime,

But the point of my thread was his impact on the news, which is still being talked about...:shrug:

[BlooInBloo]

19. I wonder if Lennon got 20 straight hours? (Too young at the time to remember.)

[Rhiannon12866]

24. I am, too, but I'd guess not.

Tim Russert has a host of friends in the media who are taking this opportunity to mourn him. I certainly don't blame them, but I take your point about Lennon...:hi:

[BlooInBloo]

26. Must be nice to have one's foot on the throat of the public airwaves....

Especially when the viewership is so compliant and celebrity-oriented.

[malaise]

33. Ditto n/t

[Rhiannon12866]

35. Well, I think this is a little different.

He didn't do celebrity news, just as Dan Rather refused to. He was totally steeped in politics, and asked everyone the tough questions, Republicans and Democrats alike, because this was his job. And though I often cursed him out, LOL, I think he did a good job, which is why he's mourned. And the politicians he worked for, Pat Moynihan and Mario Cuomo, were both Democrats. :-)

[DesertRat]

31. In 1980 CNN was brand new and the only 24 hour news station

And yes, John Lennon's tributes lasted for a long time. His murder was a huge tragedy throughout the world. Everyone I encountered was in shock and mourning.

[JackRiddler]

42. Not on TV, he didn't.

But he lives on... and will still be around long after the next generation of talking heads at court are forgotten.

[Bluenorthwest]

46. There was coverage, but not like this

For one thing, when John Lennon was murdered, people reacted. Thousands were on the street at the Dakota and elsewhere. The story was not just that John was killed, but that the world reacted to his murder with great passion. Such gatherings are not occuring for Russert, except among his own co-workers. The masses are not placing flowers at his doorstep, now are they?
So no, they did not wallpaper the story for days, nor did they ignore enourmously important news that was also happening. But they had an actual story to cover, as millions across the world felt the loss on a personal level, and they expressed those feelings openly and in public. The mouners were the story, the crowds. He was not given the media's version of a state funeral like they are doing for Russert, ad nauseum. Nor should they have done so.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

20. I no longer have MSNBC on my basic-basic cable

:shrug:

[Rhiannon12866]

25. I'll turn on NBC to see if they are having the same coverage.

And if you no longer have MSNBC, you'll miss Keith Olbermann! Just saying. ;)

[CODemocrat]

28. I'm already tired...

of it.

So, a man dies.........he's DEAD!

Get over it.

Move on.

Iowa is under freakin' water? (that's NOT news)

[DesertRat]

Wow, no compassion at all. n/t

[MiniMe]

32. In many ways, I don't blame MSNBC. I think they need this time to adjust

BUT, I wish they would take part of the time to have some other news on.

[LWolf]

30. No.

I don't watch tv news or talk shows; I don't even know where to find MSNBC on my dial. And I don't want to.

My heart goes out to his family. The only thing I remember about him, though, is the question he asked the guy in your avatar, that fed the false portrayal of DK as some kind of nut.

[Lifetimedem]

36. Thank you

Indeed he was one of own.

[Rhiannon12866]

41. What a lovely reply, and welcome to DU, Lifetimedem!

We're very glad to have you with us!:toast::hi:

[otohara]

37. I'm Done - Watched Enough Yesterday

RIP Tim - I wonder if he had any regrets. He did help bring Bush to power and bombs to Iraq. Of course he would deny, like the rest of them.

[Paladin]

39. Feeling Sad Is One Thing.....

....elevating Russert to the status of the newly-dead, Second Coming Of Christ is entirely another. And as of right now (not quite 2:00 PM EST, Saturday), that's pretty much the level to which MSNBC has degenerated in its non-stop, uber-mawkish coverage.

You know, if Russert was even half the hard-nosed, competitive, intelligent journalist that he's being touted as---not to mention Greatest Father Of The New Century honors slathered on, as well---would he really appreciate all this wretched excess? I would hope not.....

[Rhiannon12866]

40. Yes, it has been excessive. I was gone for most of yesterday,

but when I came home, it was still on. And now it's on again. But I do understand the people at NBC mourning one of their own. It had to be a real shock. And they have the airwaves at their disposal, so they're using it to express how they feel. No matter how you feel about him, and I was never his biggest fan, it is very sad.:-(

[JackRiddler]

43. NBC, Pentagon-owned demon of lies, begone.

[Rhiannon12866]

44. Yes, my friend, but I believe the sentiments of his colleagues are sincere.

This man obviously had a lot of friends, and his son blew me away, so young, but also so well-spoken in what has to be the worst time of his young life. I couldn't have done it...;(

[truebrit71]

45. When was he "one of our own"? I am sorry about his sudden passing...

...but lets makes sure the sunglasses are for UV protection and not rose-tinted okay?

[Gabi Hayes]

49. I think it was a typo. should have been "one of our ownERS"

puhhhlease.

[roody]

47. No.

[XOKCowboy]

48. No