to say that he was an honest broker is to disregard his public record.

Fikshun: Please don’t misunderstand me: I think Mr. Russert’s death is news. But I find it overplayed as obligatory “say nice things.” I’ve seen or read little analytical commentary on “what it means” in line with your comment. That’s what’s been missing in the coverage of his passing.

Would he have been embarrassed that so much air time, print space and Web usage was devoted to chronicling his passing?

Quite possibly. We’re not only blithely ignorant of journalists dying in Iraq, but everybody who dies there, from Iraqi citizens to our own soldiers, up to and including Medal of Honor winners.

I think some journalist, particularly print, forget how hard it is to report without pissing off people so much that you never get another interview from them. It’s much easier to replay a sound byte, then it is to write about it. It’s a delicate balance that Russert mastered.

Theres’ a certain amount of douchebaggery that is involved in the networks, but Russert always seemed like the real deal. He’s the reason I started watching MSNBC in the first place.

I know it’s way too early, but I always pictured Keith Olberman in the chair of Meet the Press. My only problem is that he has made his broadcast “newsertainment”. If he tones it down he’d be great on MTP.

On a local note: The flags are at half mast, people are drinking, and yes I believe Tims name will be on the Bills Wall of Fame!

Go Bills and Sabres!

You’re absolutely right about the phenomenon. One thing I loathe about MSNBC is their penchant for overusing the “Breaking News!” button. Our lives are not so banal and flatline that we need this artificial dynamic. It cheapens the headlines and dulls our reaction to them. I have friends who blog about every celebrity passing as though the world is a lesser place every day because of the loss (it isn’t).

However, in this circumstance, I think this is news. There are better journalists out there, perhaps unearthing bigger stories as we speak, but Tim Russert represents a major loss, not just because of his prominent forum on “Meet the Press”, but also because of the timing.

I can’t help but see parallels between the state of the nation in 1976 and 2008. You have a lame duck two-term president who has been all but impeached, trying to handpick his successor to prevent an untimely trip to the Big House. This would-be successor is pitted against a Democratic candidate who is enough of an outsider as to be perceived as a dark horse. The people are clamoring for a change but wonder how much real change this supposed outsider actually represents.

Imagine being able to vote for Ford or Carter, knowing that, in this case, Ford can’t pardon Nixon until he’s elected.

To me, this is precisely why Russert’s passing is newsworthy. The timing is terrible. Any would-be successor to Russert’s perch won’t have enough credibility or public prominence to go for the jugular like he did. Any candidate backed into a corner will come out swinging.

And all of this is to say nothing of the House representatives up for election this November. Two years ago, Democrats were sent in with a mandate to clean house, and they didn’t. Who will smoke these candidates with Dr. Sammy’s daily brushbacks?

“We now know who the democratic nominee for president of the united states is going to be”

And his last few broadcasts were devoted to exposing the racist smear campaign against Obama and his family. I think he well and truly earned his browny points with the angels.

If some folks want to go overboard in their tributes, let them. Its good. Its healthy. Hopefully when they are done they’ll go back to journalism … not commentary.

And if you don’t like the coverage on cable, don’t watch TV. I don’t. They have to pay folks at places like Media Matters to cover that garbage these days. It would be sad if online communities spent all their time complaining about the crap we’ve left behind. We move on to new territory only to turn it into mindless back and forth idiot online chatter consisting mostly of criticism of the mindless back and forth idiot chatter taking place on cable?

Tim Russert – RIP

Thanks for your comment, as always.

However, I would add that, in Russert’s case, his passing is also newsworthy because he was seen by many as the most prominent bullshit-detector in U.S. journalism. After feeling sad for his passing, my first thought was “Who else will be able to step up in a high profile forum and keep politicians honest ’til November? Might this even have a tangible effect on the Presidential election?”

It is my hope that the news networks will sense the void created by his passing and will compete for the eyes that had watched him regularly. Perhaps it will even spawn real competition for “Meet the Press”. Eh, I can dream.

Mr. Russert’s life and journalistic legacy deserves the outpouring of grief and tribute after his unexpected death at only 58 years old. But because he wielded an exceptionally large megaphone — the pulpit of "Meet The Press" — he was al…