What was your favorite thing about Tim Russert?

Question

My favorite thing about him was how when he interviews politicians on 'Meet the Press', he would ask them questions and the politician would give him a pre-rehearsed, warmed-over answer.

Then Tim would call them out for their hypocrisy by saying 'Let's take a look at what you said to the Wall Street Journal on June 5, 1999...." and he would throw their answers right back in their face.

He was a truly non-biased journalists and he will most certainly be missed.

Answer 1

That he obviously loved his job, family and politics.

As for the dumb answer about red meat............................you need to go to the comedy section................

Answer 2

Tim Russert tried to play the game fairly.

He was one of the toughest most relentless questioners in the business but he insisted on a civil discussion.

His operating motto seemed to be "People Can Disagree Without Being Disagreeable"

Pat Buchannon said yesterday that being interviewed by Russert was like being a batter facing a hard throwing pitcher.   He would throw fastballs.  He would never throw at your head.  He would give you his best pitch and see if you could hit it.

Sometimes, the things "quotes from prior years" were not always relevant or lacked context.  As such in my opinion, he used them a little bit too much.  

But Russert was one of the best broadcast journalists that I've ever seen.    I think this years election needed him.  We have a black american and older 'establishment' politician facing off for the presidency.  Russerts even handed approach would have helped set a fair tone and kept the various reporters, pundits and the candidates in line.

Russert is right up there with Walter Cronkite in my book.

Answer 3

I DVR'd  Meet the Press and the "Tim Russert" show every weekend and enjoyed watching it all the time.  

I loved the way he cornered his guests saying,  "Back on June 2, 2004, you said..."  

His political insights were amazing.  Anyone who loves politics felt his excitement on primary nights.

Answer 4

He got to the core of the issue without bashing, name calling, talking over, interrupting and so on.

He did not allow people to slide by with pre rehearsed answers, but he also treated them with respect and decency.

Plus, he was so impartial. It was impossible to know what position he held when he was interviewing someone.

I will really miss him.

Plus, his political commentary was right on.

Answer 5

Loved his level of preparation and how he used it. The headlines to him were not guest caught in lie or making *** of themselves, but explaining why they weren't liars or asses based on facts. He projected his love for what he was doing They may have broken mold that made him.

Answer 6

He was a sack of corporate money that made his head and mouth spin like a Wurlitzer spewing out as much misinformation and disinformation as he thought he could get by with filling American heads with. He was a traitor par excellence.

Answer 7

What a guy he was, he will be missed, I'm going to go buy his book "Big Russ and Me". There's so much to be learned from this person, so down to earth, a great husband a great dad and a great son and he was a great person.

Answer 8

My favorite thing about Tim Russert was that I didn't have to watch him.

Answer 9

One of my favorite things about Tim Russert was his own sense of humor & his style that he brought forth to Television Journalism & he did it well when he talked to his guests on Meet the Press every Sunday morning. Yes, he was truely non-biased as a journalist, but he was a man with a big heart & a warm personality, & he will be truely missed by all. My condolances go to his family, his friends, & those who worked with him at NBC News. To this I like to say, Thank you, Tim. You will be missed!

Answer 10

You hit the nail on the head. That sh*t was so great !!!!!! Both Obama and McCain, will definitely be getting a " pass" with his death. I say that with every respect in the world to Mr. Russert. Thank you for making me smile with your question.

Answer 11

His warmth and general respect and admiration for his country, religion and family.

Answer 12

He could always see the "big picture", and if you were being interviewed, very rarely could you get away with any BS.

Answer 13

Tim Russert taught me a leasson that changed my life!!!!

Just before the last election in 2003, I tuned in Sunday to NBC (something I don't normally do while at church) and there was Meet the Press! Russert was interviewing Dr. Rice. I haven't witnessed anything like what he was tryng to do since the press had their teeth sunk into Nixon during Watergate.

Russert was totally on the offensive, grilling Dr Rice, aggressively repeating questions designed to dig out some kind of guilty confession! Like a prosecutor hammering a suspected criminal! If I were Condi, I'd have ended the interview or warned him to back off.

But...that wasn't the end of it...

Condi finished the interview and after the break, he had that screeching nut-job Howard Dean on. You'd have thought It was a reunion of the Good O;' Boys from the Highschool football team. Laughing and joking, and verbal back-slapping.

It was then that I realized that the vitriol and hatred by the left in this country extended to the Press....including Tim Russert!

May he rest in Peace...but GOODBYE!