Korean Job Discussion Forums

On the other hand · Joined: 19 Apr 2003 Location: I walk along the avenue

Beyond knowing what this guy looked like, and that he was involved in TV news somehow, I can't say I ever paid much attention to him. RIP, anyway.

Big_Bird · Posted: Fri Jun 13, 2008 12:21 pm Post subject:

Lately you always seem to be posting about dead people, OTOH. Razz

I confess I've never heard of this particular recently deceased.

Gopher · Joined: 04 Jun 2005

Media personality in "official Washington," fair interviewer, well regarded by his colleagues.

The media are going a bit overboard and treating this as if a head-of-state has died, however. They do love to talk about themsleves.

ontheway · Posted: Fri Jun 13, 2008 1:53 pm Post subject:

When in comes to US politics, Tim Russert was in the number one spot in terms of being the leading media personality. No one else was even close. He was intelligent, respected, and most people felt he was fairly evenhanded and balanced.

Tim Russert's role on the political stage was as big as any of the candidates running for President this year.

VanIslander · Posted: Fri Jun 13, 2008 3:03 pm Post subject:

it's a slow news day late in the week so the media will milk it and give excessive coverage of his life

otherwise it'd be a 3-minute segment on CNN, a below the fold story in the NY Times and conversation reserved for the NBC network

Ya-ta Boy · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Location: Established in 1994

Sad news. He was a professional and seemed to be a good guy.

fiveeagles · Joined: 19 May 2005 Location: Vancouver

blaseblasphemener · Posted: Fri Jun 13, 2008 4:47 pm Post subject:

My favorite news commentator, out of all Canadian, British or American. Thorough, even-handed, engaging, entertaining, passionate. He would hand you your hat no matter if you were a democrat or republican, if you didn't have your facts straight. I'd say losing a guy like that is exactly what the polarized world of American news exactly didn't need to lose. My favorite interview was when he kept grilling Hillary in about 2003 over why she wouldn't run for president in 04, seeing as how bush was so awful. All she could do was cackle her fake laugh, while she clearly couldn't say that she hadn't a prayer in winning during a war year, and that she thought 08 would be a cakewalk for her. Still, he handled it with class, as always. He will be missed.

flakfizer · Posted: Fri Jun 13, 2008 6:44 pm Post subject:

One of the only tough political interviewers that I really felt just wanted to get at the truth-not just trying to look like a tough cookie. Seemed very fair and seemed to care deeply about politics.

fiveeagles · Joined: 19 May 2005 Location: Vancouver

Great interview, http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/us/2008/06/13/foreman.russert.obit.cnn

wannago · Joined: 16 Apr 2004

I really liked Russert as well. He wasn't your typical liberal hack journalist that you see every day on American TV. He seemed to genuinely want to get at the truth no matter which side of the aisle was helped or hurt by that truth. RIP Tim...

Milwaukiedave · Joined: 02 Oct 2004 Location: Goseong

Russert was great on MTP and will be missed.

Rteacher · Joined: 23 May 2005 Location: Western MA, USA

I echo all the positive sentiments. It truly is very sad (and he was a year younger than me.)

Because he was the most respected TV news journalist who headlined a show that's been an American institution for over 60 years (the longest-running show in the history of broadcasting) it certainly is big news.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meet_the_Press

The Wikipedia article on him is also well worth reading - if only for the personal anecdotes (like his going to Woodstock "in a Buffalo Bills jersey with a case of beer" and booking Bruce Springsteen to headline a concert at his college for $2500.) He also received 48 honorary doctorates during his career as a broadcaster. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tim_Russert

blaseblasphemener · Posted: Sat Jun 14, 2008 7:28 am Post subject:

From the wiki page:

djsmnc · Joined: 20 Jan 2003 Location: Dave's ESL Cafe

Couldn't stand the guy. If you watched the political debates in the run for presidency, he asked the media darlings everything and ignored the other candidates whose views he felt weren't mainstream. I thought he was nothing more than a mouthpiece for the media agenda. His awareness of such must have made his heart stop.