A Sad Day: Remembering Tim Russert

It's been a half hour now since the news broke, and I'm still numb as I sit and watch Brian Williams, David Gregory and Andrea Mitchell share personal and professional stories about their colleague and friend Tim Russert.

When my boyfriend first called me with the news, I felt as though I'd been punched in the stomach, and looking back, I'm surprised at this reaction. I've always respected Russert, but I never realized just how much I valued him until I heard that he had suddenly passed away.

As an aspiring journalist, Tim Russert was, for me, the ultimate role model. Though I have no intentions of delving into the complicated world of political journalism, it was simply Russert's style of reporting that impressed me most. He was aggressive without being offensive; he could debate his opponents without screaming at them Crossfire-style; he asked many questions because he truly believed we all would be better off with the answers. He seemed to value accountability, intellect, passion and spirit, and his genuine personality made all of these traits that much more treasured.

Although he was a cornerstone of Washington, Russert never seemed to forget about his Buffalo roots. The fact that he was a real family man with a love for the Bills, baseball and the entire community makes his passing that much more difficult. As the 2008 election progresses, I can't imagine watching the analysis without Russert's commentary.

Buffalo, and the entire nation, has suffered a blow today, and it just might take awhile to recover.

-Molly Hirschbeck

Comments

[BobbyCat]

First and foremost, thanks for paying attention, Molly. I looked at the "Talkin TV" blog for the reaction to Tim Russert's story but there was nothing. Maybe Mr. Pergament is on vacation.

A friend and former Buffalonian from Florida called me to say that he watched a shot of Buffalo on the national news - of City Hall flying a tattered and torn flag at half mast.He was embarassed for his home town.
Channel 2 received the same complaints and asked Mayor Brown's office about the flag. It was replaced with a new flag, a day late. We owed it to Tim to put our best face in the national spotlight. Over and over, Tim Russert's praise gave Buffalo a modicum of nobility, but we can't seem to escape the image of a poor and backwards, dumb and dirty city flying a ragged flag.

[The Jesus of Cool]

Shame, shame, shame. Tim was a great ambassador for Buffalo and outwardly proud of his South Buffalo heritage. My condolences to 'Big Russ'.