Tim Russert Dead at 58

I didn't agree with him on everything, but it breaks my heart to report this news.

ETA: Video of Tom Brokaw's report after the jump.  This is so terribly sad.  Ugh.

Tim Russert, moderator and editor of NBC's Meet the Press, died of an apparent heart attack shortly after 1 p.m. today.  He had collapsed while recording voice-overs for the show.  He was only 58 years old.  Our hearts are with his family.

Comments

[Barbara]

WHAT?

[jodifur]

I'm devastated. I have no idea how to watch the presidential campaign coverage without him.

[disnazzio]

Barbara, that's precisely what I said, about 400 times in a row, when I heard. I'm shocked.

[disnazzio]

Jodi, me too. My whole department is walking around like we've all been punched in the face.

[disnazzio]

My mom just said that she's been watching him every day on MSNBC, and that she's been totally caught up in his obvious excitement about this election season - that she could tell he was downright gleeful about covering it this time. What a terrible goddamn shame.

[sweetney]

i'm quite literally in fucking shock. that's so, so sad.

[Barbara]

This makes me want to vomit. I've lost people in my life suddenly and this makes me want to wrap his entire family in a bear hug. I hope that he rests in peace.

[Amy H]

damn. I love that man. I watch MTP every Sunday. I always enjoyed his love for the Bills, his father, who he called Big Russ, and his family. His son just graduated from college this spring. Tim was so proud...

so very sad.

[disnazzio]

Not that there's any good time to lose a parent, but his son was only 22. That's SO young to lose your dad. :/

[missbanshee]

Total. Shock. He seemed like...just a fine man, you know? A great guy. And he so obviously LOVED what he did. Russert got me excited about politics, and I really, really don't know how to get through the election without Tim and his whiteboard. RIP, Mr.Russert.

[Suzy Q]

Wow, I hadn't heard this until just now. So, so sad and shocking. He was way too young to die.

[daysgoby]

Shit. He's be missed throughout this whole campaign...

[mouthybroad]

very sad. tears. also, you can really tell that Tom Brokaw is upset about it. that matters to me--maybe b/c it means he was a decent fellow that his collegues actually liked.

[Amy]

I thought for sure that Tom Brokaw was going to break down and cry while reading the report. It was obviously a huge effort for him to keep it together. How very sad and tragic.

[disnazzio]

I just went to MSNBC's site and watched the videos of other newscasters and journalists talking about him; Keith Olbermann in particular seemed so devastated.

[JennyM]

That is just devastating. He was so young, and he was in our living room nearly every day -- certainly every week. And how am I going to watch the election without Tim and his dry-erase board? So very sad. My heart goes out to his family and his colleagues -- I was afraid Tom Brokaw was going to break down and I don't think I could have made it through that.

[Rhi]

So very sad, my grandmother and I used to watch MTP together and it won't be the same without him!

[Amber]

I did not always like Tim's approach, and I found myself appalled at him during the "debates" between Senators Clinton and Obama. At the same time, I recognize what a huge gaping hole his death leaves in the fabric of political journalism. Tim's political position was never very clear; his devil's advocate style of interviewing put politicians across the political spectrum in the hot seat. And to me, that is the true spirit of journalism. What was always apparent, however, was that Tim had a profound passion for the political process, a passion I share, and in that respect, he was a kindred soul that often made me angry, but always kept me engaged.

What I mean to say is...fuck. What sad news.

[Rebecca]

He was a great journalist.

[UpstateKate]

I'm sure his family will treasure the memories they made on their recent trip to Italy. At least they had that special time together. It's so sad that they had to come home and have this happen.

[disnazzio]

Amber - someone said somewhere today that the best indication of his greatness as a journalist was that big-mouthed radicals with no sense of propriety from both ends of the political spectrum came out to bash him in comments on blog entries about his death. If you've pissed off the far right and the far left, you're probably doing your job.

[DianaCLT]

RIP, Tim. So sorry for what his family is going through. Such a sad and horrible shock.

[Amber]

Oh, I totally agree that he was an excellent journalist - a dying breed. It feels like there are so few torch bearers for honest to goodness journalism these days, and his death makes that all the more clear.

That doesn't mean I didn't threaten to throw the remote control at him once or twice. :)

[sweetney]

oh lord, that video of tom brokaw holding back the tears just breaks my fucking heart. god, 58 is way too young.

[Dana]

Devastating to mainstream journalism. He was one of a tiny, tiny group that valued objectivity, possessed credibility, and had the respect of a nation. I feel for all his loved ones.

Good night and good luck, Tim.