Luke Russert Is His Father's Son
"Go Bills."
That's how Luke Russert ended a wide-ranging, 30-minute interview Monday in which the NBC News youth correspondent discussed his family, election coverage and his appreciation of the support from Western New Yorkers since the June 13 death of his father, "Meet the Press" moderator Tim Russert.
Luke's sign-off was just one illustration that he is his father's son. Of course, he has his father's face. But he also has his outgoing attitude, uses his relatives as a political focus groups and loves Buffalo sports teams.
He is coming here Thursday with his mother, Vanity Fair correspondent Maureen Orth, to celebrate Thanksgiving with his grandfather,Tim Sr., "Big Russ," Tim's sister, Kathy Hughes-Russert, and other relatives.
His plans during his visit here include seeing a Buffalo Sabres game on Friday, a Bills game on Sunday and perhaps drinking a beer on Chippewa Street, where he enjoys the cheaper prices in Buffalo bars.
If any WNYers run into him during his visit, they should know he has his late father's philosophy about greeting strangers who want to talk sports or politics.
"My dad always said to me 'it takes the same amount of time to be nice to someone as it does to be mean,'" said Russert. "He said 'it is nice to be important, but it is important to be nice.'"
To read more about Luke Russert, check out today's story in The Buffalo News. And tell me what you think of the 23-year-old son of Buffalo's favorite son.
-- Alan Pergament
As the son of someone who rose to national fame and credibility and never forgot where he came from, I really think that Luke Russert "gets it". Hopefully he has a long broadcast career ahead of him if he chooses that as his career. In the last election cycle the public and the media seem to have tamped down people he chased and accomplished a dream. Maybe we all need to think about the words of Big Russ "what a country" if we choose to follow those dreams.
Posted by: Mark | November 26, 2008 at 01:57 PM
It's time to float some ideas about a Tim Russert Memorial of some kind. I'd like to see a statue.
Posted by: BobbyCat | November 26, 2008 at 08:32 PM
Luke seems a nice guy indeed. But his on-air work so far reminds one more of a typical open lefty rather than the more even-handedness of his dad. Luke's campaign commentary pretty openly favored Obama. There's nothing wrong with that per se, but that should be in a punditry role rather than as a "journalist".
I agree with Bobby that this area should honor Tim Russert somehow. Renaming the road by the stadium was pretty weak. Naming the airport after him as suggested by some might not be a bad idea. Something big like that.
Posted by: If it's Sunday | November 28, 2008 at 12:49 PM