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Log inTribute in Russert's studio
Tribute in Russert's studio
by Outspoken on Sun Jun 15, 2008 8:35 pm
Tribute in Russert's studio
By Mike Allen, Amie Parnes
POLITICO.com
On a memorial edition of NBC’s “Meet the Press,” moderator Tim Russert was remembered in his studio as a friend of politicians who prepared rigorously for the powerful show and was “offended” when they didn’t do the same.
The show, with just one commercial interruption, consisted of brief highlights of Russert’s tenure, interspersed with loving memories from friends and frequent guests.
With the moderator’s chair empty in tribute, the guests gathered around the famous Nebraska Avenue table with Tom Brokaw, the former “Nightly News” anchorman, who began the show by urging them not to cry.
But the show was a largely joyful recollection of wild, loving times with Russert, who passed in his prime on Friday, at the age of 58.
“When you were out of office, he still called you,” Mary Matalin, the Republican strategist, recalled.
“He was ambitious for the interns, he’s ambitious for his friends. If you had a book, he’d put you on one of his shows. He tried to help everybody. He wanted everybody to do their best. … He enjoyed everyone’s success.”
Funeral arrangements are not complete, but a wake is planned for Tuesday at St. Albans School, and a private funeral Mass is to be held Wednesday morning. Wednesday at 4 pm MSNBC will televise a private memorial held at the John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts.
MSNBC’s Mike Barnicle said Russert’s son, Luke, had recently told him “that this program was Tim’s second son.”
Betsy Fischer, Russert’s executive producer, said he would spend all week reading up for the show and “never once sat in that show unprepared — he would prepare for a three-hour show.”
“The way he would structure the questions was very lawyerly,” she said. Fischer added that as soon as the show was over, “he would grab me and say, ‘What do we have for next week?’”
Fischer said that because of Russert’s enthusiasm, he “did not want that primary season to end” and “loved every minute of it.”
“We would say, ‘OK, this is the last Tuesday night — there can’t possibly be …, ’” she recalled. And she said Russert interjected; “No! Bring on more, more, more, more!”
Others said Russert would sit in front of the camera and actually rehearse questions.
James Carville, who said the two of them talked just about every day except Friday, said consultants and their bosses did not need to fear “Meet.”
“You could predict the questions the highest on ‘Meet the Press’ because they were fair questions,” Carville said. “But he really was offended by people who didn’t prepare. He was glad that the candidate did much better.”
http://news.yahoo.com/s/politico/20080615/pl_politico/11092;_ylt=AlMAbPtlJKeaPVKl6k_aGU.s0NUE
REUTERS/Alex Wong/Meet the Press/Handout
By Mike Allen, Amie Parnes
POLITICO.com
On a memorial edition of NBC’s “Meet the Press,” moderator Tim Russert was remembered in his studio as a friend of politicians who prepared rigorously for the powerful show and was “offended” when they didn’t do the same.
The show, with just one commercial interruption, consisted of brief highlights of Russert’s tenure, interspersed with loving memories from friends and frequent guests.
With the moderator’s chair empty in tribute, the guests gathered around the famous Nebraska Avenue table with Tom Brokaw, the former “Nightly News” anchorman, who began the show by urging them not to cry.
But the show was a largely joyful recollection of wild, loving times with Russert, who passed in his prime on Friday, at the age of 58.
“When you were out of office, he still called you,” Mary Matalin, the Republican strategist, recalled.
“He was ambitious for the interns, he’s ambitious for his friends. If you had a book, he’d put you on one of his shows. He tried to help everybody. He wanted everybody to do their best. … He enjoyed everyone’s success.”
Funeral arrangements are not complete, but a wake is planned for Tuesday at St. Albans School, and a private funeral Mass is to be held Wednesday morning. Wednesday at 4 pm MSNBC will televise a private memorial held at the John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts.
MSNBC’s Mike Barnicle said Russert’s son, Luke, had recently told him “that this program was Tim’s second son.”
Betsy Fischer, Russert’s executive producer, said he would spend all week reading up for the show and “never once sat in that show unprepared — he would prepare for a three-hour show.”
“The way he would structure the questions was very lawyerly,” she said. Fischer added that as soon as the show was over, “he would grab me and say, ‘What do we have for next week?’”
Fischer said that because of Russert’s enthusiasm, he “did not want that primary season to end” and “loved every minute of it.”
“We would say, ‘OK, this is the last Tuesday night — there can’t possibly be …, ’” she recalled. And she said Russert interjected; “No! Bring on more, more, more, more!”
Others said Russert would sit in front of the camera and actually rehearse questions.
James Carville, who said the two of them talked just about every day except Friday, said consultants and their bosses did not need to fear “Meet.”
“You could predict the questions the highest on ‘Meet the Press’ because they were fair questions,” Carville said. “But he really was offended by people who didn’t prepare. He was glad that the candidate did much better.”
http://news.yahoo.com/s/politico/20080615/pl_politico/11092;_ylt=AlMAbPtlJKeaPVKl6k_aGU.s0NUE
REUTERS/Alex Wong/Meet the Press/Handout
"Music is a moral law. It gives soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and charm and gaiety to life and to everything."
Plato (427-347 BC)
Plato (427-347 BC)
