Tim Russert Dead

Tim Russert has died of an apparent heart attack at the age of 58.  NY Post, NY Times Caucus, MSNBC, Kurtz of WaPo.

I was a fan and admirer of Mr. Russert, although I was fairly tough on him for his role in the Plame leak and the ensuing Libby trial.

Very briefly on the trial - David Gregory of NBC News was alleged to have been informed of Ms. Plame's CIA affiliation by then-press secretary Ari Fleischer; Special Counsel Fitzgerald did not push for Gregory's testimony and Gregory has never resolved this, to the best of my knowledge.

Andrea Mitchell, also of NBC News, was covering every other aspect of the Wilson-Niger trip and claimed to have received a leak about Ms. Plame, but later back-tracked.  Special Counsel Fitzgerald never got her testimony, either.

Tim Russert, in his role as Washington Bureau chief, claims he would have been passed the tip if either Gregory or Mitchell had received a Plame leak.  He also insisted in court that he had not received a leak or relayed such a leak back to I. Lewis Libby, but I speculated as to the circumstances which may have led him to lie under oath.

Unsolved mysteries.

Comments

[MayBee]

I just mentioned on the other thread that it is obvious Andrea Mitchell and David Gregory loved Tim Russert. I don't know if they did cover for him, but I see that they would have.

This is really sad. As someone on hotair said, Tim Russert obviously loved this country.

[PaulL]

JOM is going to be one of the few places that will have anything about Russert that portrays him as less than a saint. While I'm not going to pull a Christopher Hitchens, I'm also not going to allow his death to change my opinion concerning his fairness or objectivity.

[clarice]

Eckenrode's original notes indicated that when he first spoke to Russert, Russert conceded he may have told Libby. At trial where Eckenrode was missing Russert claimed he could not have told Libby.
The entire scenario between Eckenrode and Russert was suspicious.
Russert, a lawyer, was given special treatment in the takingof his testimony and claimed under oath not to know that one couldn't take one's lawyer into the grand jury when testifying as a witness.
Finally, it turned out that while Russert publicly chided Noval for taking to the feds and made much of refusing to testify absent a subpoena, he had ALREADY talked to the feds without one and hid that fact.

I'm sorry he's dead. He died much too young. He certainly had many fine qualities, but his career came before truth in the Libby case. And I think that's obvious.

[centralcal]

Very succinctly and well said, Clarice.

Tim Russert was a flawed human, not a saint.

[Jane]

Five years ago, Tim Russert was on my mudwrestling list. A friend of mine designed the inside of his Nantucket house. She used to be invited to parties at his home and I conspired for a while to be on the island visiting her so I would be included, but it never came to pass.

My opinion of him certainly declined during the Libby trial. I'd like to know if that was a singular moment of panic or more characteristic of the man as a whole. I hope the former.

I'm sad for his family, and shocked at how young he went. Except for the Libby trial, he was a legend.

[sylvia]

Even if Russert did shade the truth in the Libby trial, he did so with much aplomb. Now there was one guy who could fib if he needed to, unlike all the other clumsy politician lies we hear. I remember reading his trial testimony and thinking the way he parsed his words was devilishly clever, phrased so well that they may have almost turned a fib into truth. So the guy must have had a very high intelligence, which is why he became as successful as he did. I feel sorry that he was taken so soon.

[Topsecretk9]

JOM is going to be one of the few places that will have anything about Russert that portrays him as less than a saint.

Paul, Google "pumpkinhead" and you'll see the folly in that belief.

[MayBee]

We all have flaws.
I think, overall, he was a man who loved this country and his family. As a journalist, I'd take him over most.

[PaulL]

At the Libby trial, if Russert had said that the two of them may have mentioned Plame, the entire case would have collapsed. Even though Fitzgerald claimed that he didn't need Russert's testimony at all, that was preposterous, and the jurors were clearly swept away by Russert's superstar status.

I believe that Russert committed perjury and the fact that a man was going to be convicted and imprisoned largely because of his testimony was not important to him.

[clarice]

** NovaK for taLking to the feds ****

[Topsecretk9]

Maybee

I'd take him over most.

Me too.

[PaulL]

Topsecretk9,

I would guess that much of the left's anti-Russert thoughts will disappear now. I don't want to have to check the various websites personally to find out, though.

[centralcal]

I am still giggling uncontrollably over Clarice's comment (on the Habeas Corpus thread) about Andrea Mitchell being one facelift away from a skull! Dang, C - you can sure nail it sometimes.

NBC and their gawd-awful stepchild MSNBC have lost the ballast for their ship. Not sure they can regain it with the remaining "talent."

All sorts of vultures will start to circle. MTP competitors and Tim replacement wannabes.

[Rick Ballard]

"I believe that Russert committed perjury and the fact that a man was going to be convicted and imprisoned largely because of his testimony was not important to him."

Odd what cumulative stress can do, isn't it? Having to show up every Sunday morning and recreate a believable illusion of impartiality must have been a terrible burden. He was almost believable almost all the time.

[Donald]

Very good point Rick. I can't pump these people up because they passed. He was every bit the cheap political hack (In the end, when it really counted, when his character was truly called into quesion) that Matthews is. Too bad you died Tim. I'll give you that.

[paladin2]

I agree that he commmited perjury.

[bad]

He was a successfully published author so a memoir was almost inevitable. Wonder what kind of notes are lying around.

[clarice]

Well, if that's true, Rick, imagine the strain on Moyers.

[Rick Ballard]

There is little doubt in my mind that he was far superior to whomever will be chosen as his replacement. He was personable and very rarely abrasively partisan. NBC has absolutely no one in their stable with those qualities.

[sbw]

It's too bad that he died leaving an unfinished gestalt.

[Soylent Red]

Repost from other thread:

While none of them are good ones, Russert was at least a tolerable one. RIP.

[Rick Ballard]

Clarice,

Moyers lacks anything resembling the self-knowledge necessary to feel stress when he lies and dissembles. I class him as much more of a true believer than was Russert. He lies for the "greater good" with great compulsion and no compassion - more of a Cronkite or Rather. Russert displayed an element of fairness which leads me to believe that conscience mattered to him. He was somewhat similiar to Brokaw in that respect.

Always allowing for the possibility that both he and Brokaw just triggered some spring of empathy within me that dries up at the thought of the other MSM monsters.

[GMax]

Anyone else struck by the collective narcissism of the media here. One of their own dies and they go wall to wall and tell us stories about how he was the first one to call Obama the nominee ( seriously I saw that myself ). Now if Larry Bird, a true legend in basketball were to die suddenly we would get maybe 5 minutes on him and his life and then return to other stories.

In case anyone wonders, Iowa is under water. Nearly every county impacted, and the corn crop under serious threat. Cedar Rapids downtown has water surging through the street. But my tv has Russert wall to wall, and did you know how good he was? He call Obama before any of us.

GAG.

[glasater]

This is sad news indeed about Tim Russert and he was too young to leave this earth.

In sad times whimsical thoughts can arise--and as a replacement for TR and MTP--Jay Leno came to mind.
His contract on the Tonight Show is almost up and NBC doesn't want to lose him.
With the presidential campaign becoming a combat zone--Jay Leno might prove to be an entertaining referee and help take the nastiness down a notch or two.

[clarice]

You may be right, Rick. He was taught by nuns and I find that usually does have a lasting effect.

[Jane]

Has anyone heard from Pofarmer?

Once again, I don't have any idea where he lives, but I always assume it is someplace like Iowa.

[bad]

Gmax

So sorry about what is hapenning in Iowa. I have family in Wisconsin who are all safe to date but in shock about the devestation around them. Many towns are surrounded by water and there is no way in or out except by boat.

[clarice]

I think he posted yesterday, Jane.Soehow I picture him a bit further west.

[Elliott]

I think it's Missouri, Jane.

[vnjagvet]

Neither of those guys were elitists, Rick. Russert from Buffalo, Brokaw from Yankton, SD.

Both had checkered college careers (Brokaw bas said he majored in co-eds and beer while dropping out of the University of Iowa) and married up.

Both had more of the common touch than most all newsmen of their generation.

I will really miss that part of Russert that enjoyed his work so much.

[jl]

That prophet that predicted that yesterday would be the end of the world got it right in terms of Russert's end.

[Jane]

Tim was one of the finest men Obama knew. Given his other associations, I'm not surprised.

[bad]

LOL Jane

[clarice]

Ignore Jane..She's just being snippy to get Hit's attention :wink:

[Michael B.]

I don't know how we conclude that Libby lied at all. That said it seems that somewhere in Bush's presidency, a little overwhelmed with criticism, he decided that the role of Candide was for him. To promise that 'everyone in my administration will cooperate fully with the investigation' set the White House staff up against anybody outside with an agenda. At that point, everybody has to double down. For NBC, it didn't even have to be an anti-White House agenda. Maybe Russert didn't know where revealing his source would go or somehow NBC might find itself as the source of having revealed classified information. Libby, not doubling down, could have left with his law license and taken the fifth even if he did nothing; probably a good idea if you figure your the lowest guy on the totem pole in fact not likely to lie; that would have taken the consolation prize of perjury off the table. Similarly, Doug Feith has the criticism that Bush quit answering his critics over WMD and terror risk from Sadaam which just gave critics the closing arguments.

[clarice]

I think Libby like the others involved in the investigation were used to dealing with the FBI about leaks and such and rather assumed at the outset they were on the same side because he knew he hadn't been the leaker and, therefore, he was a bit too unguarded with that snake Eckenrode and the Fitzman.
I also think he thought taking the Fifth later on would be harmful to the Administration (or at least Cheney)and certainly contrary to Bush' instructions.
But you're right about the Candide moment and its practical effect.

[SteveMG]

I think Mr. Russert always made a good faith effort to be fair and impartial. I believed that before his untimely death; and I embrace it now.

That he wasn't always fair, that his "gotcha" game using unfairly edited tapes (sometimes shockingly so) was more, I think, indicative of the failings of the modern press than it was of the man personally.

At least I'd like to think so.

My thoughts in particular go to his father. Having your son die before you do must be terrifically sad.

Requiescat in pace.

[hit and run]

Hi Jane! ::wink::

[kim]

The FBI one morning
Lost its notes suborning.
Eckenrode,
Where is that toad?
He's wanted at a harrowing.

Well, in my mind, Eckenrode and Fitzgerald drove him to an early grave.
==============================

[centralcal]

Funny one Jane!!

[Jane]

Hi Hit -

Hey Clarice, it worked!

[larwyn]

At 3:53 PM ET, I sent out a collection (Clarice, Tops, Tom and Sara will have it in their inbox as on my lists) I cut my collecting short to get the word of Russert's death out ASAP. I'm putting what I wrote here, so pleased to see that I am not all alone. I am gagging as they put him up for SAINTHOOD.

UPDATE: Tim Russert's death - STRESS? VP of NBC News division must have been concerned about what MSNBC was doing to NBC BRAND!!

Tim Russert has died. "collapsed and died" per Tom Brokaw a few mins ago.

Can only think of the rumors of serious dispute between a few sane people at NBC that what is going at MSNBC with OLBERMAN & MATTHEWS was ruining the credibility of NBC NEWS.

Many wondered why Tim RUSSERT, a VP OF NBC NEWS DIVISION, continued to appear on both the Matthews & OLBIE SHOWS?? Was Russert one who saw what MSNBC was doing to destroy NBC'S BRAND, was he trying to be "good corporate soldier" or "ordered to make those appearances".

"Stress kills" they tell us. Will this death get us the real story of what is going on at NBC?

In the collection I am assembling now, including Tom's post and many of your comments, I've added this:

Tim was known as a good Catholic, one must wonder if the actions of NBC's senior news stars; Tim, Andrea and Gregory, regarding the proscecution of Scotty Libby were not the beginning of the LONG SLIDE for THE NBC BRAND.

Remember that Chris Matthews even asked the REPUB CANDIDATES inane questions when he moderated the REPUB debate re Libby, Wilson & Plame.

If, in fact, Tim Russert held the tenets of Christianity & Catholicism dear, he would, like many of us, feel guilt strongly when straying from basic MORAL TENETS. Unrelieved or "rationalized" guilt is very stressfull.

I don't know Tim Russert's heart, but I do know that in the past few years, when his questioning of DEMS are compared to that of REPUBS the difference
is obvious.

SECULARS can write such actions off easily as they believe in the "end justifying the means",that "for the greater good" and the always reliable "for the children", I don't think a man of conscience could so easily bury guilt. It may take a few days, weeks or months but we will eventually hear what Russert really thought of how his beloved NBC's new agenda was destroying the NBC BRAND.

Oh lord, rewriting history, Ed Rollins just said on CNN's LOU DOBBS - "He never showed his partisanship". Going to need the another package of Pepto Bismo tablets to make it thru weekend, watching the Canonization.

[Fees]

Plame, spies and trip overseas. Gets home and dies of sudden heart attack. Poison is pretty common when you don't go CIA.

[Tribute Fund]

Pay tribute to the great Tim Russert at our non-profit www.tributefund.org. We remember the inspiring men and women in our lives.

[Rick Ballard]

Interesting.

The Vibrator uses the occasion to announce a preemptive cut n' run from town hall meetings.

"When a McCain adviser first floated the idea last month, Obama said it was a great idea."

I suppose that it wasn't the great idea that the Vibrator once knew...

The Copperheads have chosen their top annelid wisely.

[larwyn]

Boy did that 8:24 posted come to the wrong place. As if his family will need charity to survive.

[Ann]

Like many of you, I was sad to hear about Tim Russert. I feel for his family especially his young son.

RUSH: TIM WAS 'GENUINE'

h/t NRO

[JM Hanes]

Let me know when the beatification is over and it's safe to turn on the tube again.

[Sara]

Rick: I heard someone say on TV today that Bambi has put more conditions on McCain over having townhall meetings than he does for meeting with Imanutjob.

[Rick Ballard]

Sara,

That makes sense - after all, McCain is on the other side.