Tim Russert May 7, 1950 – June 13, 2008

NBC Washington Bureau Chief and host of Meet the Press Tim Russert has died today in Washington, DC. While recording a voiceover for Meet the PressRussert collapsed and died at his office.He had just returned from family vacation in Italy, which is where he went to celebrate his son’s graduation from Boston College. News of his death was reported live on NBC, CNBC and MSNBC by former NBC Nightly News Anchorman Tom Brokaw. Little Russ, as he was called in his family, was a fixture on Election Night, known for keeping track of the electoral college votes with his little tote board and magic markers. He was also known for his gotcha questions, particularly during this year’s presidential primary debates.  Sometimes I was hard on Little Russ, thinking he was a little unfair to Hillary Clinton. But he was by far a political journalist  that commanded the respect and admiration of his colleagues. Russert penned a bestselling biography, Big Russ and Mein 2004 (which chronicled his life growing up in a predominantly Irish working-class neighborhood in South Buffalo and his education at Canisius High School. Russert’s father, a World War II veteran who held down two jobs after the war, emphasized the importance of maintaining strong family values through the methods of the “carrot and the stick,” the reverence of faith,  and of never taking a short cut to reach a goal. Russert claimed to have received over 60,000 letters from people in response to the book, detailing their own experiences with their fathers. He was a die hard Buffalo Bills fan.

Tim Russert is survived by his wife  Maureen Orth, who has been a special correspondent for Vanity Fair since 1983. They have a son, Luke, who graduated had just from Boston College this year.

Heaven just go a little classier. I can see Tim at the Pearly Gates posing a question to Saint Peter “Saint Peter, now I know you have the keys to the kingdom, but it is on the record that you denied Jesus three times, it says so right here in the Gospel of John”  A booming voice from the throne of God, says to Peter “He’s got you there Pete, let the man in”

Goodbye Little Russ.  I will miss you on Sunday mornings. You were the best. Election Night will not be the same.