In Memoriam: Tim Russert

One of the pre-eminent political analysts, commentators and journalists of our time is dead. Tim Russert, host and moderator of Meet the Press, died of a heart attack at 58 today, and if you liked political discourse at a reasonable level and wanted, say, insights in the campaigns running today, you could tune in and watch Meet the Press or, quite frankly, whatever show on NBC he was asked to speak for two or three minutes on, he should be very sorely missed by you.

If you don't know who he is, click here and then come back when you're done. It's MSNBC's report on his death, and the people speaking about him include President George W. Bush, Tom Brokaw and Harry Reid, current Senate Majority Leader.

His research on the people he interviewed was career-spanning and unspeakably deep, so he knew his politics and was polite, but unrelenting in his pursuit of the truth. But that polite part is incredibly important. Russert made his name by being persistent and civil, and kept Meet the Press afloat, to the point of four million steady viewers on Sunday morning. It wasn't exciting television, mind you, but important television. It didn't have the host or the guests fighting for who'se voice could rise above the others, which usually drives ratings elsewhere. 

Here's an example. Back when Mitt Romney was still a viable Republican candidate, Mr. Romney had been making a bit of backsliding about his views on abortion and women's rights, and he'd been catching some flak for what was a drastic shift in ideological belief, which seemed to coincide neatly with his getting chosen by the Evangelical (which, by the way, sounds a lot better than saying arch-conservative) leaders of the Christian community in America. Now. Russert went one step further and brought in a video clip of Mr. Romney saying in his gubernatorial bid in Massachusetts that he would "preserve and protect a woman's right to choose", was to do so inspired by his mother to be "devoted and dedicated" to his protection of a woman's right to choose. Watch it yourself.

Russert catches Mr. Romney in his run-around game, and does so in a polite, civil manner, without gloating or raising his voice. It's the combination of research and civility that made Tim Russert "the best political journalist in America, not just the best television journalist in America", according to Al Hunt, the former chief of the Washington desk for the Wall Street Journal .

His death leaves a vacancy in American politics the size of which I cannot even outline or fathom. If you want to understand politics, he could speak to you about it in a way that synthesized it and made it understandable for the laypeople and not just political junkies. Insightful barely covers it. He reported the happenings, put the questions to the people who made the happenings and did it all because he loved America and he loved politics. 

For our American readers: Go on YouTube and do a search for Tim Russert and learn about the political landscape around you.

For our international readers: Go on YouTube and do a search for Tim Russert and get insight about American politics from its foremost reporter and treasured son.

His influence is huge. His shadow will loom over American politics, but more heavily over the commentators who don't ask the tough, probing questions. He was pre-eminent because he asked the hard questions, because he stayed civil and polite and because he did the legwork and homework to back it all up with facts and not bluster.

When he said something, those words were given gravity that no one else in the field has. His hard work, insight and politeness were why.

Suffice to say he's missed.