I Still Don't Miss Tim Russert

[SoDesuKa]

When Russert died in June, we were admonished not to speak ill of him. Wait till his body has at least gone cold, they said. Now that it's been two months I frankly acknowledge that I don't miss him. I thought maybe I'd develop some remorse for how I felt at the time he died, but that hasn't happened.

I remember his complicity in the Scooter Libby thing. He was supposedly a big time journalist, but he sat on a story of more than trivial national significance. Why'd he do that? Who was he working for? I also remember him savaging Hillary Clinton, demanding an apology from her for staying loyal to her husband. And I remember him as the go-to guy for the Bush administration.

[depakid]

1. I'm glad he's not doing the debates

Though Brokaw won't be much better,

[cliffordu]

2. I'm not missing him either

[DFW]

3. Russert was a big-time TV personality

He abandoned journalism a while back, and from the little I saw of him in recent years,
I had no reason to change that opinion.

(Hai, so desu!)

[SheilaT]

4. I was never a fan of

Russert's, and simply did not understand why there was such a prolonged ecstasy of grief over his passing. Yes, it was a shame he died, he was much too young, but he wasn't exactly the world's most outstanding journalist. Mainstream media and even some here carried on as if someone really important had died, as if his passing would truly impact all of our lives. As someone who never watches the Sunday Morning Blowhards (as Calvin Trillin has so rightly named them) my life is quite unaffected.

[bermudat]

5. Miss MediaWhore #1?

Nope, and don't give a rat's ass about his spawn either.

[Name removed]

6. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[SoDesuKa]

7. Scooter Libby

Why'd Russert sit on the Scooter Libby story? He was supposedly a reporter, fergoshsakes. Reporters report. Russert didn't do that. We don't know what else he knew and didn't tell us.

He beat up on Hillary Clinton for expressing confidence in Bill at the height of the impeachment scandal. He demanded an apology to the American people! Despite his reputation for asking tough questions, Tim Russert was a bully, the kiss-up, kick down kind. Why did Cheney feel comfortable enough with Russert to call him his go-to guy? That's not how I like to think of members of the press.

Russert frequently mentioned his working class roots, but that was an affectation. This guy was a gazillionaire who traded journalistic ethics for megabucks. Working class people don't live in a mansion in Cape Cod, thank you. Frankly, when Russert died, I felt that it created an opening for a real journalist. Imagine what a real journalist would do with legitimate news stories like what Scooter Libby told him. Would such a person have to be subpoenaed to tell the story?

I didn't like the way his death was regarded as a tragic event in American history. He was middle aged, obese, Type A, and reckless about his health. The people who liked him and admired his work should be angry that he didn't take better care of himself. Disclaimer: I'm not one of those people.

[Greyhound]

11. Says the guy with the Chargers logo....

:rofl:

[Frank Cannon]

13. "Homework, intelligence, and research"??!

I like you. You're funny.

[AllentownJake]

8. Russert wasn't perfect and he was no Edward R. Murrow

But I have a feeling he'll be replaced with someone alot worse than he was.

The thing I find most troubling about Russert is reporters used to look up to guys like Murrow and Cronkite and want to be like Murrow and Cronkite as a result we got Brokaw and Russert. I can't imagine if these people are heroes what the next generation of news is going to look like.

[fasttense]

9. Good point.

I think the hero worship for people like Murrow and Cronkite just kind of flowed over to Russert. Like Pavlov's dogs, the media jumped on his sudden, unexpected death as if Russert was one of those exceptional and brave journalists. Like most of what the fake world of TV does, they saw the wrappings and trappings of a great journalist and just assumed he was.

[tom_paine]

15. That is sadly true, and almost 100% certain to come to pass.

n/t

[Greyhound]

10. Who?

Wasn't he, like, married to somebody, or something?

[jmowreader]

12. My favorite line from the Russert Deification Session

Someone in the Talking Head business I don't remember said without Timmeh, he wouldn't know who to vote for.

Timmeh's voting recommendations came down to "push the button that says Straight Republican Ticket on it." How hard is that to remember?

[Frank Cannon]

14. I miss his Sunday morning fellatio sessions with Dick Cheney

The only thing missing from their steamy, on-camera love fests was an appearance by David Duchovny as the narrator.

[KharmaTrain]

16. Mary Mattalin Still Misses Him

She had him wrapped around her iron fist...since he could help "get the message out". When she called, Timmeh jumped. He'd do that "cute" holiday show with her and Cueball...sickening. My bets are that if he was around, this morning, we'd be seeing Jerome Corsi with the "concern troll" Timmeh hanging on every one of his lies.

[alcibiades_mystery]

19. There's ZERO doubt Tim Russert would currently be fluffing Jerome Corst

Zero.

He was that bad.

I have no idea who these people are who thought him "fair" and "measured," but Tim Russert was a straight up flack for the neo-conservatives, period. Am I glad he's dead? No. Wait, let me change that answer to "eh, whatever."

[KharmaTrain]

22. I Paid Little Attention To Him When He Was Alive...

The "overkill" of his death was a display of how disfunctional the corporate media has become. He was "the star"...the politicians and issues were mere props. Jack Welch taught him well.

He covered his eltism with his "Buffalo" bullshit...Flutie Flakes and then his pimping of his father to fool people that this millionaire was "one of us". He wasn't...but it sure fooled many.

Cheers...

[Hubert Flottz]

21. "we'd be seeing Jerome Corsi"

He'd have Andrea Greedspin on talking all about the Johnis and the DNA testing.

[JI7]

17. i didn't like his style but he is far better than the ones

they have and will likely take over.

[alcibiades_mystery]

20. You drown in mud or you drown in shit

Either way, you're still drowning.

[alcibiades_mystery]

18. Who?

:shrug:

It's fitting that the memory of Mighty Tim succumb to the same stupid 10 minute news cycle people like him imposed on us.

[sellitman]

23. He was better than those that replaced him.

Far better.

His show is unwatchable now.

[Judi Lynn]

24. He always seemed malicious to me. I don't miss him, either, and thanks for this thread. n/t

[barbtries]

25. tim who?

[Jawja]

26. Bob Novak

is next up. Good riddance to these GOP pseudo-journalists who have devoted their careers to propping up war criminals.

[Dogtown]

27. I only dance on fresh graves

This one's gotten stinky.

[CanSocDem]

28. In the Sept '08 HARPER'S...

....Lewis H. Lapham has a great essay on your sentiments.

He asks:

"Why a requiem mass for a pet canary?"


.

[Gold Metal Flake]

29. He was a man who knew how to get paid.

[GoneOffShore]

30. Oh boy -

:popcorn:

[roody]

31. Did he do anything to take care of his physical health?