RK ARCHIVE - Breaking: Tim Russert Dead at 58

UPDATE 3:50 pm: From NYTimes.com: "Tom Brokaw, the former anchor of NBC Nightly News, came on the air at 3:39 p.m. that Mr. Russert had collapsed and died early this afternoon while at work. He had just returned from Italy with his family."

UPDATE by Lowell (4:20 pm): Chris Cillizza says, "Tim's passing is a sad day for anyone who cared about politics and political journalism in this country." Cillizza adds, "Russert was, without question, the single most influential political journalist working in Washington." I couldn't agree more with both comments.

UPDATE by Miles (6:00pm): A continuously updated compliation of reaction is at FishbowlDC.

Comments

What a Heartbreak! (floodguy - 6/13/2008 3:47:20 PM)

On Drudge:

Russert, 58, was vacationing with his family in Italy, he returned last night. Collapsed while recording a track at bureau in DC... More...

Man. (RFKdem - 6/13/2008 4:03:30 PM)

I feel like I've been punched in the stomach. I can't imagine American politics without him. My prayers go out to his family...RIP Tim...:(

King Of The Whiteboard (virginialeftwing - 6/13/2008 4:04:02 PM)

This man had such a passion for politics, and wasn't afraid to fight the point to get his guests to directly answer the question. Like Tom Brokaw said,

He died in the middle of the election year he loved.

I was looking forward to his whiteboard in November, which would be more correct than any computer calculation or election-guessing by any other network. He will definitely be missed.

His Poor Family (Matt H - 6/13/2008 4:08:26 PM)

For the next five months every time they see or hear a campaign-related news story, they'll be thinking of him, and how much he would have enjoyed commenting on the campaign.

What terrible news (The Grey Havens - 6/13/2008 4:15:05 PM)

He was an institution; brilliant, informed, principled.

He will be missed.

I remember showing up the night of the opening of Nationals Park (Catzmaw - 6/13/2008 4:25:21 PM)

He was there with his son, Jim Moran, Tom Davis, and Adrian Fenty with an ancient ballcap jammed over his head, just enjoying a beer and a dog with the boys. His son's a nice looking young man. At that moment he was just a dad enjoying time with his kid - I saw him introduce the young man around to everyone with the kind of beaming smile men get when they show off their sons. He looked at him with true affection and warmth. What a terrible thing, to lose your father suddenly and just before Father's Day. Condolences to Mr. Russert's family on their grievous loss.

And the family (Eileen Levandoski - 6/13/2008 4:34:12 PM)

had just returned from a vacation in Italy to celebrate his son Luke's graduation from Boston College. Such an exciting time in the family's life, which makes this all that much more sad.

What Are We Going to Watch On Sunday Mornings??? (HisRoc - 6/13/2008 4:42:19 PM)

Tim will be so missed. Of all the political reporters on both sides of the aisle, Russert was the fairest and most unbiased. I don't know how we will be able to comprehend the Election Night results without his decidedly low-tech white board.

58 years old, he died way too young. All of us should take a lesson from his sudden death: wake up every morning and live your life as if it is your last day in this world. Take better care of yourself and realize that there are much more important things in life than just work.

RIP, Big Tim.

Just came in from hearing a talk he gave (Catzmaw - 6/13/2008 5:47:57 PM)

C-Span's running it on the radio. I walked in in the middle so don't know when or where it was recorded, but in it Tim is talking about his book, titled "Big Russ and Me", which was a memoir of his life with his father. In his talk he recounted stories of his father. I had no idea that his dad had a 10th grade education and after serving honorably in the Army Air Corps and being seriously wounded returned home to work two full time jobs as a sanitation worker and truck driver. Tim went to an academic Jesuit high school on scholarship and pulled himself up by his bootstraps to the position he held as one of America's premier newsmen.

This was a man who used his talents and opportunities the best way he could and left a lasting impression. We will miss him.

Barack Obama on Tim Russert (Lowell - 6/13/2008 4:43:55 PM)

I've known Tim Russert since I first spoke at the convention in 2004. He's somebody who over time I came to consider not only a journalist but a friend. There wasn't a better interviewer in television, not a more thoughtful analyst of our politics and he was also one of the finest men I knew, somebody who cared about America, cared about the issues, cared about family. I am grief-stricken with the loss and my thoughts and prayers go out to his family and I hope that even though Tim is irreplaceable that the standard that he set in his professional life and with his family life are standards that we all carry with us in our own lives.

Source

RIP Tim (Will Write For Food - 6/13/2008 4:57:06 PM)

Died at work at the Washington Bureau; not many people can pass away doing what they love. But a heart attack at 58? How awful. We'll miss ya, big guy!

And it's so unfair (Will Write For Food - 6/13/2008 11:39:50 PM)

for a man who ate, drempt and slept politics to pass away before the biggest election in a generation, the kind of event a man like Tim lived for. But come Election Day, he'll have the best seat in the house.

Howard Dean statement (Lowell - 6/13/2008 5:58:30 PM)

Today we lost one of the true giants of American journalism and a tremendous public servant. Tim Russert will be remembered for many things. A committed family man, devout Catholic, devout sports fan, author, mentor. A tough interviewer, Tim delivered the news with authority, in a plain-spoken way that made the great issues of our day accessible to everyone. His love of politics and our country came through in his relentless pursuit of the truth and in the quality of his work as a journalist. On this sad day, our thoughts and prayers are with his family and loved ones.

I can't embed... (Tom Joad (Kevin) - 6/13/2008 6:09:39 PM)

but this is my favorite Tim Russert video...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/...

"That's a hypothetical question!"

Mudcat on Russert's Passing: "Irreplaceable" (cycle12 - 6/13/2008 6:15:23 PM)

As soon as I heard about Tim Russert's death, I called Dave "Mudcat" Saunders because I knew that he and Tim were friends.

Amongst other things, Mud said that Russert was "irreplaceable".

Agreed.

Steve

So Sad (Barbara - 6/13/2008 9:41:27 PM)

I'm just so sad about this. He was a really good guy. One of the few you could count on to call it like it is. I will miss him on Sunday mornings, and especially in Nov.

I saw on the news someone left a white chalkboard among the flowers etc. at NBC Washington studios. He would like that.

Major league Sadness... (bladerunner - 6/13/2008 10:18:05 PM)

Wow I am speechless. Kind of guy you would love to sit down with and chat about anything. Peace to his family, and Tim.....and good luck to him on his next journey.

Such horrible news (legacyofmarshall - 6/13/2008 11:22:57 PM)

Olbermann, Todd, and Williams are great but Russert no doubt led the political team at MSNBC and did it well. He was not just informative but also a great source of entertainment for me during the primaries. Indeed this election will be just a tad bit less powerful without one of Washington's greatest journalists.

What compounds the sadness is that it's not so terribly rare for a 58 year old man or woman to die in this way in America. This is just a special case given the fame and importance of the individual. This sort of thing happens every day, and it really shouldn't.

My deepest feelings are for his family - good members of the Northern Virginia and Catholic communities.