MyDD :: Tim Russert will be missed

Tim Russert will be missed

by greenboy, Tue Jun 17, 2008 at 12:42:03 PM EST

I like the rest of you here was shocked to discover the sad news about Tim Russert, a giant of journalism. No one knew how to ask the tough questions like Tim Russert. I was watching Chris Mathews the other night, and they were showing how Tim could always outsmart any politician. Many in the media credited his tough questioning of David Duke about the economy and tough questioning of Hillary about illegal drivers licence and her Iraq war vote as being what ended the political careers of both Duke and Hillary. No one could play hardball better than Russert. The key to his success was that he knew so much about so much. And he was fair to all sides which is why everyone from republicans to Clinton cheerleader James Carville has been grieving his death. He was the master of the follow up question; a man who could think on his feet and outwit presdential candidates. And above all he loved his country.

Tags: Tim Russert (all tags)

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Hardball (none / 0)

The ironic thing is that Russert played hardball ten times better than Chris Matthews, and yet Matthews was the one with the show named that.

Matthews still has a lot to learn from the School of Russert.

In this avalanche, the pebbles get to vote.

by Dracomicron on Tue Jun 17, 2008 at 12:45:23 PM EST

Re: Hardball (none / 0)

I think Mathews is pretty tough actually. He can really grill you. Obviously no one can replace a giant like Russert but Mathews would be a good host for Meet the Press.

I find it symbolic that Russert lived just long enough to influence the Democratic primary. I'll never forget how good he was against Hillary when she went on his show. He asked really tough questions about her Iraq war votes including her vote against the Levin Ammendment. He was unrelenting. A real giant of journalism who doesn't let politicians get away with spin. But of course you have to be prepared & work hard to ask the tough questions, and so Russert sacrificed attention to his health to give us all great journalism every sunday morning. He is a true hero.

by greenboy on Tue Jun 17, 2008 at 12:59:25 PM EST
[ Parent ]

I disagree about Matthews (none / 0)

He loses his cool too easily and says too many dumb things to be host of Meet the Press. Maybe as guest host. If he can go an election cycle without making it into every viral "who can be the biggest asshole?" video on the net, maybe he'll be ready.

Don't forget Russert's Obama inteview, by the way. He did spend time on Reverend Wright... maybe even 15 minutes or so, but he stayed on topic and didn't go for the soundbyte. The rest of the hour was all great policy stuff. George Stephanopoulos could've learned some things about moderating from this guy.

In this avalanche, the pebbles get to vote.

by Dracomicron on Tue Jun 17, 2008 at 01:12:13 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Ahhhh....Obama fans that still (none / 0)

admire sexist pig Matthews.

You haven't changed much,

by Jjc2008 on Tue Jun 17, 2008 at 03:36:51 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Tim Russert will be missed (2.00 / 2)

No he won't.
Russert was part of a whole group of truly corrupt media creeps who led the coup against Clinton, stole the election, lied us into a war, betrayed a CIA case officer, and attempted to scam us out of our social security.

by Alice Marshall on Tue Jun 17, 2008 at 01:05:07 PM EST

Also (2.00 / 1)

In additon, Tim stole your bike, beat up your little brother, poured sugar in your gas tank, pushed the red button, and blew up Princess Leia's planet of Alderon.

A true knave!

In this avalanche, the pebbles get to vote.

by Dracomicron on Tue Jun 17, 2008 at 01:07:51 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Tim Russert will be missed (none / 0)

Russert did not have access to classified intelligence, but he did his job by being tough on congress for actually authorizing the war, and they did have access, and Hillary had just spent 8 years in the white house so she of all people should have known better. When Hillary went on MTP Russert demanded answers about why she authorized the use of force, when she voted against the Levin Ammendnment (thus authorizing Bush to just ignore the UN). Hillary also talked about WMDS on the senate floor and even suggested Sadam had links to Al Queda. Those comments had more impact than all of the media combined because they were coming from a beloved former first lady, the senator from NEW YORK, and gave Bush the bipartisan legitimacy he needed.

by greenboy on Tue Jun 17, 2008 at 01:16:16 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Tim Russert will be missed (2.00 / 2)

He may not have had access to classified intelligence, but he could have had Sen. Graham on MTP to explain why the case for the war was bogus. He could have had Scott Ritter on.

Above all he could have been a patriot and reported to his viewers that Libby had called him about the Plame matter.

He chose cronyism over patriotism and I won't miss him one bit. I will miss all those whose lives have been stolen from them in Iraq.

by Alice Marshall on Tue Jun 17, 2008 at 01:30:22 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Tim Russert will be missed (none / 0)

Yeah and he could have tatooed peace signs all over his body. No one is saying Russert was perfect but when you got a president who thinks Sadam Hussein is a threat, a former president from the opposite party who agrees, when the head of the CIA agrees, when British intelligence agrees, when congress grants Bush the authority to go to war and by striking down the Levin Ammendment, the authority to ignore the UN, when you the Democratic senator from New York and wife of a former president telling the American people about WMDs and links to Al Queda on the senate floor, Tim Russert's the last person I would be mad it.

by greenboy on Tue Jun 17, 2008 at 01:50:04 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Tim Russert will be missed (none / 0)

Right on sister.

by msw4477 on Tue Jun 17, 2008 at 03:03:12 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Yeah the Iraq War is awesome (1.00 / 0)

Thank you Tim!

by catfish2 on Tue Jun 17, 2008 at 01:13:51 PM EST

Re: Yeah the Iraq War is awesome (2.00 / 1)

Tim was a senator when the Iraq war was authorized?

by greenboy on Tue Jun 17, 2008 at 01:17:29 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Yeah the Iraq War is awesome (none / 0)

Ouch.