No Permanent Majorities In America
Cartoony Politics in Canada
Being President 101
Failure To Blow Election Stuns Democratic Party Faithful Mourn End To Losing Tradition
Hope Is On The Way
The Future Is Upon Us
Illinois Outdoes Itself
Environmentalists Disregard Public Safety
There's Something About Harry
The White Collar Lament
What Good Can Come Of This?
Dummies
If The Shoe Fits Hurl It
Obama The Magic Negro-Gate
How Can Obama Fix So Much That Went Wrong?
Happy New Year ...
Out With The Old
Remember The Empty Chairs At Holiday Tables
Who Are The Real Nazis?
The Gaza Rules
Harper's Weekly
The Mortgage Thieves Return
Bullet Points For Assessing The Bush Years
Bye-Bye 2008: Things I Want To Forget
The Fierce Urgency Of Now
How Many Government Workers Does It Take To Change A Light Bulb?
The Perils And Joys Of Self-Esteem
The Future Of Civilization
'Hunk' Obama Can Help Nation Fight Obesity Epidemic
Moral Clarity In Gaza
Obama's Tax Cuts Leave Logic Behind
Talking About Sex-Ed That Works
The Time Is Now
Et Al Ad Nauseam: 2008 And All That
The Generational Theft Act Of 2009
Pay Rod Gives Democrats Fits With Senate Choice
'Tis The Season To Be Jolly. Or At least Try
Hey, Caroline -- You'Re Not Entitled
Hamas Rockets Blew Away Gaza Opportunity
Season's Readings
Old Acquaintances
A Social Trauma For Obama: Youth Crime
Sensitivity And 'Gran Torino'
A Question For My Friend Alan Dershowitz
The Unsung Hero Of Obama'S Victory
Red Ink Did Me Good
Barack in Limbo
A Hard Year Ahead
Ask Not For Plum Political Appointments
Eric Holder And All Political Prisoners
Mideast Overshadows Obama's Prospects
Enough About My Hair Already
Year-End Odds And Ends
Curing The New Year's Eve Hangover
The Gamble in Gaza -- Interview With Aaron David Miller
Cal Thomas-Bonus
A Respite From Reality
One Nation, One People-God Bless Us Everyone
Dr. Leavitt's Scary Diagnosis
Teaching Economics
Richardson's Exit And The Vetting Process



My Friend And My Source
Robert Novak 6/19/2008
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WASHINGTON, D.C. — A 26-year-old political operative from Buffalo on Daniel Patrick Moynihan's staff in 1977 was overshadowed by the all-star cast accompanying the newly elected senator to Washington. Not for the last time, Timothy J. Russert surpassed famous contemporaries. His first noteworthy feat was saving Moynihan from sure defeat for re-election, enabling an illustrious 24-year Senate career.

Moynihan was in the Senate on a fluke, because multiple competitors divided New York's prevailing liberal vote in the 1976 Democratic primary. His Senate staff was dominated by glittering neo-conservatives, but young Russert deftly convinced Moynihan he must move left to survive. The neocons all departed Moynihan and the Democratic Party, but Russert stayed and became his principal adviser.

Russert from the start also was an extraordinary source for me. The careful preparation that became his journalistic trademark was obvious in our conversations, when he always had something for my column — most of it about Moynihan's adversaries. He was superb in "oppo" — research about the opposition. That skill propelled him to the top of television interviewers.

Early in 1982, over drinks in a Manhattan restaurant, Tim pulled from his briefcase accurate derogatory information about Republican Rep. Bruce
Caputo, who was planning to run against Moynihan. That finished Caputo.

Russert left Moynihan for Gov. Mario Cuomo in hopes of making him president, a goal much clearer to him than it was to the governor. The peculiar pro-Cuomo slant of this column could be attributed to Russert. He arranged a secret dinner at an obscure waterfront steakhouse for me with Andrew Cuomo, now attorney general of New York, but then his father's reclusive, enormously influential young adviser.

Russert went to NBC as a New York-based executive, but soon got back to Washington as the network's bureau chief. He was concerned, he told me, by the decline of "Meet the Press" under distinguished TV journalists following Lawrence Spivak's retirement as moderator in 1975, and requested my ideas in writing.

Whittaker Chambers in 1952 said the program was "fun for the boys but death for the frogs," and I wrote Russert saying that softer questioning had become too much fun for the frogs. He agreed.

When he first took a seat on the "Meet the Press" panel with no on-camera experience, Russert asked me whether there was anything improper about that. There wasn't. He became moderator and gradually eliminated the questioning panel. It was a master stroke, soon copied by the other Sunday interview shows.

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Tim Russert
By Adam Zyglis - The Buffalo News * Posted 6/17/2008 12:00:00 AM
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Tim Russert
© Copyright 2008  Adam Zyglis - All Rights Reserved.

Posted By: Glennis  on Wednesday, June 25, 2008

There were many wonderful things about Tim Russert, not the least of which was his ability to remain fair and focused in his interviews.  In addition, he had a way of relaying by his manner that he was interested and engaged with the person being interviewed.  There was a warmth about him that was very endearing and made one feel that he'd be a good friend and neighbor.  His unquestionable integrity and devotion to his public and his family were admirable.  He was a marvelous role model for anyone and especially, for his fellow journalists.  Our lives were made richer by his presence in the world.

Posted By: Steve Stevens...  on Wednesday, June 25, 2008

Tim will be a hard act to follow, as a person, and as a personality. Rest In Peace "Little Russ"...  

Posted By: Sara  on Thursday, June 26, 2008

Tim Russert was obviously a great guy and a great professional, but I'm beginning to wonder about all the press coverage of his death. It seems to prove once again how solopsistic the media has become. From the spinning analysists in love with their own voices and opinions who spent more on-air time giving their views than covering the actual statements of presidential candidates to the ongoing, seemingly endless coverage of Russert, the media has proven itself more interested in itself than in anything else happening in the world. The media elected Barak Obama in the presidential primaries and now it is cannonizing Russert, one of its own. Enough already.

Posted By: Gil Miranda  on Thursday, June 26, 2008

Hi Sara, sorry, I'm a Brazilian, but wouldn't that be solipsistic???

Anyway ... I agree with your point of view ...

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