From The G-man: Tim Russert, ‘The G-man’ Loved You Dearly
Jun 15th, 2008 by admin
The G-Man: Born in NC, Now Reppin In The NYC
On June 13, 2008, I logged on to the Internet to read my email on Yahoo. I followed my normal routine, which consisted of ignoring a few pop-up ads and perusing the top news stories of the day. I was in a public library when I suddenly gasped and placed my hand over my mouth. People looked at me curiously, but I offered no explanation for my outburst. I was far too busy trying to maintain my composure while focusing on the cover story photo of a journalism icon. I stared at my laptop screen for nearly four minutes, looking somberly into the blue eyes of one of the greatest men to ever grace a television screen, and quietly said, “No, Tim. No.” There, in big, bold, black type were the painful words “NBC’s Tim Russert Dead at 58”.
Shortly after the stunning announcement, network and cable news directors and producers across the country paid tribute to Russert and his amazing legacy as a broadcast journalist. Renowned figures from politics, sports, news and entertainment expressed great sorrow as they reflected on Russert’s passing. Sadly, a number of vicious comments were posted on the Internet after Tom Brokaw broke the devastating news to America on MSNBC. In a nutshell, the sorry, insensitive and crude sons-of-bitches claimed Russert “wasn’t all that” and that too much coverage was being devoted to the death of the 17-year host of “Meet the Press”. Well, I sincerely hope the networks will honor this man by continuing to share his accomplishments, both personally and professionally, for days to come. Given Russert’s phenomenal contribution to American politics and culture, it would be the least they could do.
I absolutely have no problem saying, “I loved and deeply respected Tim Russert!” In an era where goofy, stupid, self-centered and half-ass commentators posing as journalists flood network and cable airwaves, Russert symbolized what real journalism is supposed to be. I’ve only held four journalists in extremely high regard over the last 35 years or so: Walter Cronkite, the late Peter Jennings, PBS’s Charlie Rose and Russert. It was during my teens that I discover Cronkite was a journalism titan. I got hooked on Jennings and his “Canadian cool” as a student at Queens College in Flushing, New York. I’ve been inviting Rose into my living room every night at 11 p.m. for the last 10 years, and Russert made “Meet the Press” part of my religion and routine on Sundays. These mavens of media had one major thing in common that drew me to them and made me a loyal fan: integrity! However, it was Tim Russert who stood out among them as the best in the business. If the “suits” over at NBC/MSNBC are smart they’ll never, never, never let another journalist put their grubby little hands on Russert’s now famous white eraser board. That would be completely sacrilegious, and no one will ever be worthy of such an honor. As far as The G-man is concerned, it belongs in the Smithsonian!
RIP: Tim Russert!
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