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February 10, 2012
Lisa M. Krieger: Man with defibrillator demands access to his own heart's information
David G. Savage: Why activists may not be in a hurry to have High Court rule on alternative marriage
February 9, 2012
Laura McMullen: 10 Least Expensive Public Schools for Out-of-State Students
Kimberly Palmer: How to actually enjoy -- relaxing, financially -- your vacation
February 8, 2012
Warren Richey: Why momentous Prop. 8 ruling might not satisfy gay-rights groups
Menachem Wecker: Though Controversial, LL.M.'s Can Lead to Specialized Legal Jobs
The Kosher Gourmet byDana Velden: Going to the bother of making soup? You know it better be good. This CREAM OF TOMATO SOUP certainly is! And it's a cinch to make, too (Includes techinques and serving secrets)
February 7, 2012
Frank J. Gaffney, Jr.: Caught off-guard? President's Super Bowl interview with Matt Lauer gives those who need a reason not to vote for him, a darn good one
Suzanne Bohan: Leaping lizards! Tiny reptiles advancing robot design
February 6, 2012
Jonathan Tobin: Iran Threatens Israel With Destruction, But the New York Times Doesn't Hear It
Jeffrey Fleishman: In newly democratic Egypt, tens of democracy activists jailed, to stand trial; their groups are 'threatening the stability of the homeland'
Julie Deardorff : Researchers say antioxidants may not be that effective and could do more harm than good
Mark Clayton: How did Anonymous hackers eavesdrop on FBI and Scotland Yard?
February 3, 2012
Edmund Sanders : Israeli official says Iran is creating missile that could reach East Coast of US
Victoria Kim: Immigrant-smuggling ring used black drivers to avoid racial profiling
February 2, 2012
Jim Carney: Wrong number call may have saved her life
Reza Kahlili : Ex-CIA spy in Iran's Revolutionary Guard: What Obama doesn't grasp about striking deals with Tehran
Tina Susman: For woodchuck rescuer, every day is Groundhog Day
February 1, 2012
Brian Bennett: US officials see increasing threat of domestic attack from Iran
Emily Brandon: How to Take Advantage of New 401(k) Fee Disclosures
January 31, 2012
January 30, 2012
Paul Richter and Ramin Mostaghim: Misreading Teheran's limits -- deadly and economically devastating as they may be -- is a risk administration, Europe seem willing to take
Suzanne Bohan: Warning: Nap-deprived tots missing more than sleep, study finds
Meg Handley: Banks Revamping Rewards Programs to Woo Customers
January 27, 2012
Caroline B. Glick: Obama: Of course I intend to prevent a nuclear holocaust . . . in a few months
Yochonon Donn: In liberal New York City, fervently-Orthodox Jews may soon be getting a district to call their own
Jeannine Stein: An inflated ego and thinking you're 'all that' doesn't just make others sick of you, it can make you ill
Katy Hopkins: New budget rules may affect how much money you get for college
January 26, 2012
Ed Koch: To the New York Times, calling for the murder of Jews by those capable of having their incitement taken seriously isn't news
Jeannine Stein: Mental illness struck one in five U.S. adults in 2010: Report
January 25, 2012
Richard Simon: House passes two bills endorsing the use of religious symbols at military memorials
Fred Weir: Putin: Multiethnic Russia cannot survive as a US-style 'melting pot'; must find its own way
Susan Johnston: 5 Sneaky Coupon Strategies Consumers Should Watch Out For
January 24, 2012
Carol Clark: The price of your soul: How your brain decides whether to 'sell out'
Caroline B. Glick: America lost most in 'Arab Spring'. Sadly, many voters still don't grasp the extent
Warren Richey: Drug criminal scores win in GPS ruling from conservative-leaning high court
Erika Bolstad: Black conservatives gather to talk about gaining strength
January 23, 2012
Melissa Dribben: Jewish voters to play a key role in Florida's Republican primary
Jordan Rau: In quest to grow, Catholic hospital system will announce this morning its break from church
Ali Safi: U.S. envoy gives Taliban terms for peace talks
January 19, 2012
January 18, 2012
January 17, 2012
Frank J. Gaffney Jr.: No-kidding red lines: U.S. response to an Iranian nuke may be bluster, but Israel's won't be
David G. Savage: They sued their principals after slandering them online --- now the cases are headed to the Supreme Court
David Francis: Where to Invest in 2012: With stocks expected to rebound, opportunity abounds for investors
January 13, 2012
Ben Lynfield: Israeli lawmakers move to annex Jewish Judea, one museum at a time
Alexia Elejalde-Ruiz: Thriving through touch: Gentle massage helps older people with low mobility improve in mind and body
January 12, 2012
Warren Richey: Landmark Supreme Court ruling a 'resounding win' for religious groups
Warren Richey: Supreme Court says no to new rule on eyewitness testimony
John Fauber : Statins found to raise diabetes risk in postmenopausal women
Katy Hopkins : Consider This Before You Pay for an Online Degree
The Kosher Gourmet by Joseph Erdos: This mushroom and barley soup has an intense -- almost nutty -- flavor that mixes robust with Middle East. It has creaminess without cream
January 11, 2012
Shari Roan: Millions of atrial fibrillation sufferers at risk for devastating, but preventable, stroke
Tom Hussain: Pakistan -- recipient of more than $21 billion in civilian and military aid -- speeds pursuit of Iranian pipeline, defying US
David G. Savage: High court signals it won't be loosening TV's 'indecency' rules
Stephen Ceasar: Oklahoma's Islamic law amendment can't go into effect, court rules
January 10, 2012
Reza Kahlili: From an ex-CIA spy: US must exploit new split in Iran's Revolutionary Guard
Karen Kaplan: Study: Nicotine replacement products ineffective when used in real-life situations
January 9, 2012
Michael Doyle: Put through legal hell over dream home, couple fought back hard --- all the way to Supreme Court
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Jewish World Review
June 16, 2008
/ 13 Sivan 5768
Remembering the kid from Buffalo
By
Roger Simon
http://www.JewishWorldReview.com |
After "Meet the Press" ended each Sunday, it didn't end. The bright lights would go down in the studio, but Tim Russert would keep talking, chatting, going on as if he never wanted the moment to be over.
If you were one of the guest journalists on the panel, you would stay in your seat and talk with him. On or off the set, Tim never acted like a superstar.
"Meet," as it was always called in the business, often had a small audience in the studio, usually just a dozen people or so sitting on folding chairs off to one side. They were usually students and always in awe watching history unfold before them on live TV.
Tim would spend a lot of time with them after the show, answering their questions, signing autographs, posing for pictures. He was a man of small kindnesses. Last year, just before the Iowa caucuses, when I was standing in the lobby of the Des Moines Marriott hotel nervously waiting for a cab that was never going to arrive for an appointment for which I was already late, Tim came up and put his hand on my shoulder and said, "Hey, I've got a car. I'll drive you." And he did. Just like that.
He was not a creature of Washington. He was a kid from Buffalo, and it showed. People in Buffalo treat each other like neighbors, and that's the way Tim treated people.
Having worked for both Daniel Patrick Moynihan and Mario Cuomo, Tim went from politics to journalism at a time when the chasm between the two was vast and not easily bridged. But Tim bridged it, and he did so by dint of sheer talent and a relentless commitment to fairness.
Much was made by politicians of passing the "Russert Test," of showing you could go toe to toe with him on live TV. Some passed, and some failed. But Tim never hit below the belt, was never snide or snarky or sneaky. His specialty was bringing up a politician's own words, own actions, own votes which were often contradictory and asking for an explanation.
It could be devastating. It reminded me of the H.L. Mencken line: "Injustice is relatively easy to bear; what stings is justice." Tim dispensed justice every Sunday. "If it's Sunday, it's Meet the Press" was not a boast, it was a fact.
He was aided by great researchers and his wonderful executive producer, Betsy Fischer. "Meet" was a relentless search for truth in an era dominated by spin and deception. It was not easy. Live TV is never easy; Tim just made it look that way. He knew, of course, the show was in part about him. He knew the power of personality in both politics and journalism.
A few days after my first appearance on the show, a guy stopped me on the street and said, "Hey, I saw you on the Russert show Sunday." The Russert show. People would say that a lot. "Meet the Press" had a long, proud history, but Russert made the show his.
I was petrified the first time I went on the show I was petrified every time I went on the show but Tim would always be there in the Green Room beforehand to talk to you, and he would always be smiling, energetic, enthusiastic, looking forward to it all.
In a profession in which it is easy to burn out, Tim never did. Tim did his work without fear or favor. That's tougher than it sounds in this town. And he was gracious. He never needed to prove that he was the smartest guy in the room (though he often was). When somebody else on the show did well, Tim was delighted.
After each show, I would take my "Meet the Press" mug home with me. After about the third time, Russert said, "Hey, you're not selling those on eBay, are you?" He was kidding, but I assured him I was not selling them. I put them on my desk. Sure, they were trophies, but they were also memories and reminders: reminders of just how good political journalism could be if you worked at it hard like Tim did.
"Meet the Press" set the agenda and drove the news and made itself indispensable even in the face of formidable competition. Russert brought a sense of joy and a sense of importance to what he was doing, a sense that even though the political process could be small and demeaning, it could also be great and essential to our nation and to our democracy.
Tim Russert will miss the ending of one of the greatest elections in modern U.S. history, but he gave us the tools and insights and good examples to carry on.
But if it's Sunday, we'll miss Tim.
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© 2008, Creators Syndicate
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