I saw that Tim Russert died and I thought it had to be a joke, a bit of blog snark that wasn't going to be funny. But the context and the links checked out. And so it turned out to be true.That's unbelievable. He never really looked like a "candidate" for a quick heart attack where they'd be unable to help him. But we only see the outside and he had a moderately vigorous look. And there's no way for us to know how he took care of himself. But it can happen very quickly.
I had a hard time liking his style on "Meet the Press." He'd get someone on there -- if it was someone I liked -- and invariably go for the "gotcha" stuff. "You said in 1992...but now in 2004 you say..." And in the Democratic debates he was relentless with that same stuff.
But a couple times I caught parts of his program on MSNBC that obviously had a more laid-back vibe, everyone very casual, a totally black background, laughing, camaraderie, telling stories, seeming to enjoy politics as a thing with a heritage to appreciate. He was more likable in that setting, that's for sure.
Tim Russert was definitely knowledgeable and made an impact in politics and journalism.
