June 20, 2008
by Warren Gottlieb
Tim Russert, the beloved moderator of “Meet the Press” and Washington bureau chief of NBC News, died suddenly of a heart attack at age 58 this past week. He was one of my heroes.
The tidal wave of tributes to his memory issued over Father’s Day weekend came mostly from politicians and journalists who knew him personally. Like most Americans, I only knew him from my living room and through the lens of the national media. Nevertheless, I would like to pay my heartfelt respects.
Russert’s success in journalism and politics was not the result of family connections or an Ivy League degree. Instead, it was the product of the work ethic, decency and street smarts he developed while growing up in Buffalo, New York, a community Russert never forgot. There was not one phony note in his persona.
Russert was also a true patriot and a diligent steward of our nation’s free press. He treated his role as moderator of “Meet the Press” as a public trust. Every Sunday, no matter the guest or topic, Russert was on his game, and among political junkies like myself, the “Church of Russert” was without peer. He used thoughtful preparation and research to hold elected officials accountable, all conducted with his trademark fairness and respect. His Sunday broadcasts routinely produced Monday’s newsreels. The result was an enlightened constituency and a stronger democracy.
In a completely separate realm, Tim Russert managed to put fatherhood on a pedestal without preaching. True to form, he did it with authenticity and heart. Whether he intended it or not, his best selling book, “Big Russ & Me,” reconnected the nation to the parenting values of the Greatest Generation through Russert’s tender account of his relationship with his father. As a father of two young children, I owe Russert a debt of gratitude for this reintroduction. The America of Big Russ and Tim is the one that I want for my kids. It has been absent from our mainstream culture for far too long. In this longing, I suspect I am not alone. I believe it explains the essence of Russert’s connection with the American public.
Russert’s life, personal and professional, demonstrated that greatness can still be achieved the old fashioned way. He was simply one of the good guys. We’ll miss you, Tim. Sunday mornings will never be the same.
Warren Gottlieb has lived in Chappaqua with his family since 2005. He and his wife Susanna have two young children, Benjamin (3) and Sarabeth (10 months).
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