Charlie Rose

y09  12/28/2008 02:19 PM Report

aww Tim russert... how cute was he... WE NEED GOOD JOURNALISTS LIKE HIM!

Margie  07/06/2008 09:56 AM Report

Tim was the BEST!

It's not the same with him gone.

RIP Tim.

Dan McDermott  07/01/2008 01:34 PM Report

Charlie, Thank you for putting this program together for Tim Russert. Al Hunt was the perfect person to bring the essence of Tim to life. He was passionate, soulfull, full of pain and appreciation for a dear fallen friend. The first thing I did when I got me DVR was to set Meet the Press for every Sunday, Charlie, you were second. I hope you understand.

There is no replacing a Tim Russert. Charlie, take care of yourself. We need you now, more than ever. You had a close call last year. We need "Gold Standards" in the press.

I fear the loss of newspapers and I celebrate the fact that you and Tim realized the grass roots, hands on details that can only come from the printed word. You now must continue to lend those reporters a national voice. The internet allows us to find those voices and better educate ourselves of those issues that will effect my future and the future of our country.

As a fellow Great Lakes resident, I understand being both a standard for hard work and a standard for decency, honor, family, religion and sports.

Best to you Tim, family and friends.

May you be in heaven half an hour before the devil knows your dead!

aTyipicalProgressive  06/29/2008 09:18 AM Report

James M wrote "although a pleasant fellow, he seemed to interrogate the right like baba wawa, and the left like a pit bull."

Well said and succinctly.

I have more respect for Tim Russert the man than Tim Russert the journalist.

To be fair, the mainstream or traditional media has been declining since journalists had to pander to corporate owners whose main business is hardly related to the journalism. Case in point, GE.

If the media will function in the best interest of the public as intended by our founding fathers, news organizations must be owned by journalistic oriented companies, not appliance makers (GE), fantasy land operators (Disney), software developers (Microsoft), and dream factories (entertainment studios, Disney, Viacom).

We need more like Charlie Rose and fewer infotainers who pretend to be journalists.

James M.  06/29/2008 02:43 AM Report

although a pleasant fellow, he seemed to interrogate the right like baba wawa, and the left like a pit bull.

Concerned Canadian  06/28/2008 12:37 PM Report

Tim was brought up in Buffalo.

One would think that because of his experience in a border city he would know more about Canada and for that matter the world.

He made the comment that after travelling to many parts of the world he concluded that the American newspapers were the best he had ever read. He was wrong on this. Your newspapers offer very little dissenting opinions.

He was also wrong, along with the rest of the subserviant U.S media on the reasons behind attacking Iraq.

Yes, he died all too early but for all those years he was wrapped up in the U.S flag.

There is a world beyond the U.S borders, and it is impressive.

Michael Lang  06/25/2008 03:31 PM Report

I deeply saddened by Tim Russert's death but I thought he was the intellectually laziest man in network journalism. His so called tough interrogation style, became so predictable that only a brain dead politician could be caught unprepared. He would bring up some article, typically from the Washington Post or the New York Times, showing what some politician said in 2007 or 2008 contradicted what he had stated his position was in some previous year. Does anyone believe that a professional Politician could be taken off guard by such predictable attacks. He spent most of valuable air time discussing politics as a game, as opposed to revealing the details of specific policies which would effect the lives of every American. In his many years as Host of Meet the Press he contributed very little in helping Americans understand how government policy effect their daily lives and thats the real tragedy of his early death.

Mark  06/25/2008 03:31 PM Report

Yes, dhananjay phatak, the news anchors or, as I prefer to call them, The D.C.-Georgetown-Hamptons Cocktail Club, receives far too much idolization. So, too, did William F. Buckley, a man of privilege and means who used his privilege and means for the benefit of others with privilege and means.

Tim Russert offered professional, disciplined analysis of the news. In other words, Russert displayed hard work; a trait that was once the very basis for this great nation but, due to arrogance, greed, nepotism, and sloth, now appears to be some great accomplishment when it is nothing more than the expressed result of the sweat off one's brow and the focus of one's efforts for a period of time beyond the span needed to respond to a cellular telephone call or a type out an LOL on a Blackberry device.

Sadly, I believe Tim Russert failed this nation on Sept. 8, 2002 during his interview of Vice President (and de facto leader) Richard Cheney, Russert failed to challenge Cheney sufficiently on the basis for the pending U.S. attack of Iraq. Guess how many times Mr. Russert and Mr. Cheney mentioned the word "democracy" during that hour-long (sans commercials) broadcast?

Zero.

None.

Nada.

Zip.

Yet, The D.C.-Georgetown-Hamptons Cocktail Club considered that the penultimate grilling of Mr. Cheney and since he did not leave the studio with third-degree burns, war was acceptable. Now, more than 4,000 Americans have died. So, too, has Mr. Russert. Tragedy defines the death of the young. However, I'd take more than 4,000 young Americans over a 58-year-old member of The D.C.-Georgetown-Hamptons Cocktail Club any day of the week and twice on Sundays.

This is neither sarcasm nor snark; instead, it's just the facts. Sorry if they do not agree with those of wealth and power in D.C. and Manhattan.

Bert  06/25/2008 03:30 PM Report

They say that you should never speak ill of the dead. Let me break that rule to shed some light here. As passionate as Tim was about his work, he was and still is a shill. His "tough" interviews would consist of non-stop out of context sound bites that attacked anyone he didn't like. His final moments recording voice-overs represent his priorities. The emphasis was on dramatization and heated debates rather than objective inquiry. Thankfully, the Charlie Rose show leans toward the latter, and will hopefully stay that way.

Mark  06/25/2008 03:29 PM Report

"It has been a tough couple of weeks... several notable people who were at the top of their professions have passed: Sydney Pollack, Harvey Korman and now Tim Russert.

America has lost three fine entertainers.

Problem was, we only paid two of them to act. The third simply realized that was the easiest way to make an awful lot of money and numerous powerful friends.

Bruce  06/25/2008 03:29 PM Report

The tributes from the 'journalists community' is almost to the point of self congratulations to all of them. Russert was a very responsible employee of GE and praised Jack Welch, GE's CEO, always with an eye toward stock options in GE which were vested for millions and millions of dollars. He represents much of what is wrong with out so called journalism today whose real definition is shilling for the corporatocracy and the military industrial establishment which has led the country to the edge of the cliff and has made it alright to pontificate morality and principles while at the same time , doing whats best for ourselves.

Shaft  06/25/2008 12:22 AM Report

Tim Russert was one of my favorite journalist, I am sure the program he left will have very difficult shoes to fill. The last book he wrote for his father was very emotional for him, I heard him speak of his father with tremendous love and respect.

Shimmy  06/21/2008 06:06 PM Report

I remember Tim Russert always did his homework and asked the tough questions. Tim Russert was an American character right from Mark Twain.

Yours,

Shimmy

(http://shimmykat.blogspot.com)

Bob Tjoa  06/20/2008 11:47 AM Report

I wish he and other journalists had paid/would pay more attention to the performance of the Administration in judicial matters and of the Judiciary as the third branch of U.S. government. Their audiences are fixated by fist bumps but Tim and some others aspired to better things for the Fourth Estate. Well, he has missed his moment in this.

Geri S.  06/19/2008 11:59 PM Report

Tim Russert was a great human being who was sensitive to all that is important in life and didn't skip a beat he tasted of many things many of us only dream of. I didn't know him like others who were his family, friends and co-workers. I am one of the many viewers who enjoyed Mr. Russert anytime he was in front of the camera on his own show or a guest on others. I recall always feeling deep inside that "everything is going to be just fine" when he was hosting or part of a discussion that HE would speak for me and others who were not around the table. I'm thankful we knew him.There is an emptiness that no other can fill like he did. As a viewer I felt he was soft and cuddly and at the same time tough and able to do whatever it took to get the job done. People are very complex no words can describe what a person is really like unless you are around them 24 hours a day and day after day....we as viewers only know what we saw and heard..but what I saw of Mr. Russert will be great memories that will last a long time. No one can sit in his chair like he did...they will have to get a new chair for the next host of "Meet the Press". The new person will set the new pace and continue the show with a different flavor. Tim, I hope you are having the best "Meet the Press" ever in heaven!

Jack Donohue  06/19/2008 09:55 PM Report

He was the kind of man and the kind of American that made all of us want to be better than we are. His humility, his passion, his optimism seemed so at odds with talent, sophistication and wealth. Yet more than anybody I can think of Tim was able by virtue of his faith and humanity to make it all of a beautiful piece. I miss him so.

Cathi C  06/17/2008 11:04 PM Report

Tim Russert was such a gentleman and considered

his show to be as professional as he was-his family is grieving for their loss and my heart aches for them-we all miss him as well and I

was so glad to know his son Tim has his Meet the Press chair-a wonderful person who will be

missed by thousands-perhaps millions as Meet the Press was the most watched sunday news show-every

time Mr Russert's name came up with the Valerie

Plame and Judith Miller/Scooter Libby conspiracy-

I shudder to consider that those republican lies could have stressed his heart and affected hie health-he was shown to be honest and the accused

shown to be liars-Tim was a lovely person and will be deeply missed.

John G . Self  06/17/2008 08:22 PM Report

He taught so many of us about being a good father, a good son and a devoted husband. A man of faith, he made his Catholicism a badge of honor. He taught us that you CAN love your job, your family and your church and be the best....

When I heard the news, I cried.

MCody  06/17/2008 04:01 AM Report

It has been a tough couple of weeks... several notable people who were at the top of their professions have passed: Sydney Pollack, Harvey Korman and now Tim Russert. These were men I greatly admired for their dedication and excellence in their field of expertise. I have recently heard that Paul Newman may have cancer; I hope he is not next. It is a shame when people who are so good at what they do pass away.

I was 16 years old when Mr Russert took over as host of Meet the Press and he opened my eyes to US politics. I thank him for that.

Alan N. Finkelstein  06/16/2008 04:54 PM Report

I appreciated your show regarding Tim Russert.

I believe he was a wonderful person and a great journalist. His show Meet the Press was the one TV show I looked forward to every week. TV journalism shall surely miss him. Sunday morning will never be the same.

Christie  06/16/2008 03:20 PM Report

Enjoyed your show today, Charlie. Nice to look back at those old interviews and remember what a good guy Tim was. He really was a guy you could sit down and have a beer with.

RE Mant  06/15/2008 09:09 PM Report

While I regret as much as anyone Russert's passing, I have to say I think all that hard work and his adverserial style probably played no little part in his demise. I nearly never watch Meet the Press nor any of the other Sunday morning programs, not only because I dislike the spin, but also because I see little point in cross-examining such people. Just letting them talk at length is usually enough to bring out the logical inconsistencies and philosophical absurdities in their narratives, and arguing with them lowers oneself to their level. Though there is no doubt that investigative reporting is useful, I have always thought the best journalism is no journalism at all, but rather a superior understanding, and that is the product more of experience and reflection, than of application.

dhananjay phatak  06/15/2008 01:52 PM Report

With all due respect, are the news anchors

being idolized a bit too much ?

dont misunderstand, i loved tim russert

too. Indeed our democracy has lost an impartial vigilant watchdog.

but,, should there be some guidelines on how long

the mourning should go on ? i hope such a

day never comes but has charlie rose written a

"will" where he expresses his own views on how his faithful

disciples should behave should the one of

the greatest interviewers of all time

die before retiring ??????

in the same breath i also cannot help

pondering over what kind of outpouring

of emotion praise and sympathy

might occur if oh'really were to meet

the same fate ? (to his follwers he is

probably the most influntial person) ....

no malice or ill will toward

anyone merely thinking aloud...

Carol  06/14/2008 11:13 PM Report

I remember Russet's tribute to Wm. Buckley just a few short months back. Now, the tribute is for Tim. Both men had a love of family, job and God. Both men told you how wonderful their lives were. One lived it fully, the other had a long way to go. Tim's life was blessed. He will be missed. Charlie, try not to work so hard. You were lucky.

Gloria  06/14/2008 10:05 PM Report

In the midst of all the "reflections" on Tim Russert, Charlie Rose ran an interview with Tim, which, afterall, said it all. Russert was a remarkable individual, a great interviewer and there are SO few of those left in today's media wasteland where everything is done for sensationalism. What a loss. Thank you Charlie for that wonderful interview, you're on a very small playfield now.

Gloria

Charles Delehanty  06/14/2008 12:51 PM Report

Thanks Charlie for the touching review of Tim Russert. It brought tears to me throughout the program. Tim is one of those people, like late night talk show host Johnny Carson, who will not be easily duplicated.

Adele Greene  06/14/2008 08:59 AM Report

Russert's comments about his father that you ran on Fri, June 13 were inspiring. You should broadcast it before every Father's day. Thanks for your terrific program last night.

Jeannine Mead  06/14/2008 04:41 AM Report

How tragic that we have lost such a great newsman. And just when we need more newsmen like Tim Russert so desperately in this country.

Marty Scanlan  06/14/2008 03:39 AM Report

Having a very similar background as Tim Russert, Irish Catholic, Dad didn't finish grammar school, an immigrant that worked like a mule, Mom was the glue, 5 kids, college, success, etc.....Tim spoke for a lot of us..eloquently and with genuine passion. Sunday mornings will never be the same for me.

Charlie, you did a great and, I suspect, difficult job.

Dr.Taruna Agarwal  06/14/2008 02:02 AM Report

Mr.Charlie Rose, its your program ans meet the press hosted by Tim Russert are the only two good programs on Television these days, and they not just good but terrific and i really enjoy them.

Its sad that after today there will be no Tim Russert and sunday mornings ar never going to be the same again.He was one of the finest journalists i have seen and was simply great at his job,

My prayers for his family at this hour of need and hope God gives them the courage to overcome this grief.

Will miss you Tim.

Debra B  06/14/2008 01:42 AM Report

I searched every network after working 12 hours today upon hearing the terrible loss of Tim Russert. Great job on your show tonight. A gentleman's interview with a gentleman. I can't tell you how good it felt to hear both of you speak on this show. Politics will never be the same again without Mr. Russert. Thank you so much for airing that interview. It will be worshiped in my mind forever.

charlies sheep  06/14/2008 01:34 AM Report

SOMESTIMES CHARLIE IT ALL COMES HOME --YOU ARE AND TIM RUSSERT----- WAS THE HEART OF WHAT IS JOURNALISTIC EXCELLENCE--- AND A GENTLEMANS-GENTLEMAN---THE SHOW SPEAKS BETTER THAN ANY OUTWARD--THING --THE FERVOR AND LOVE--BOTH YOU AND HE BRING TO THE WORK--- YOU BOTH LOVE SO MUCH--- DRIVE ON--PEACE BE WITH THE RUSSERTS

Voice of the Grandstand  06/14/2008 01:04 AM Report

"Some men are too gentle to live among wolves." That was the title of a song written in the early 70s by a friend, the late Mark Spittal. It could be said that it was written for Tim Russert, except they never met. It was reported on Nightline that Tim Russert had an enlarged heart. I would say so, too. In fact, I would say his heart was so large, in the spiritual sense of the word, he outgrew this life. At the same time, I would say he had to be heartbroken over the politics he has had to report in recent years. It may have affected him literally. I wish, for his sake, that we would all take heed, and "have a heart" with each other from now on. We could dedicate more heartfelt, conscious living to him. Wouldn't that do his heart good?

In the words of my daughter when she was 5 years old, listening to her grandmother's ranting and raving over politics at the breakfast table years ago, "Can't we all just get along?" She didn't understand that they were just passionate about current events in the world - it was the mid-60s, only a few years after John F. Kennedy was assassinated, right about the same time Robert Kennedy and Martin Luther King, Jr., were assassinated. In some ways we've never really recovered the shock. Her innocent words echoed my own when I was her age, listening to similar rants when my journalism/political science parents discussed the news together every evening after supper. Some things never change. Maybe its time they do. That's up to all of us. I hope we can have a change of heart, on Tim Russert's behalf if not on behalf of our children, our grandchildren, and unborn generations to come.

In the meantime, I am awarding Tim Russert with the Harry Sheer Voice of the Grandstand Award for the Player with the Largest Heart. May he take a front-row seat next to my mother and father in that Great Grandstand in the Sky, and help to turn things around.

Thank you for airing this show tonight, Charlie Rose. It did my heart good to be able to absorb Tim's robust presence one more time. My heart goes out to his family, especially his son who recently graduated college. It might be said that Tim graduated on Friday! Congratulations, Tim! You earned your degree in life. What an example. What a legacy. God bless you, Tim!

devoured  06/14/2008 12:55 AM Report

Helluva guy! Helluva a program!

Mark MyWords  06/14/2008 12:35 AM Report

I was greatly touched by Big Russ & Me, and by Tim's conversations about his family, his home town, and his career passion. I really appreciate the reminiscences and footage this evening. I'd rather not comment at this time on Mr. Russert as a journalist, but what we know of his life, and his untimely death bring me to strong moment of introspection. Sincere thanks and condolences to Charlie and Al.

Jim Loring  06/14/2008 12:12 AM Report

Tim Russert gone--shocking and, for selfish reasons, scary. He always rose above the spin and nonsense and got to the meat of the issues. His sense of accountability revealed his Jesuit education and middle class upbringing. It is a background millions of us share but he alone represented in the media. His honest voice will be sorely missed by myself and millions of Americans. His death is a tragedy for our country. My prayers go out to his family in this difficult time. God Bless and Go Bills.

Rosemary Capitolo  06/13/2008 09:21 PM Report

We were shocked and saddened to hear of the death of this good, decent and honorable man. He spanned the generations. We heard of his death from our 40 yr. old daughter who had just seen it on the internet. She was devastated. I remember seeing him on your show discussing his book about his father. So moving. He was a common man with an uncommon intelligence. He will be missed. God bless you, Tim. Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife, son, and "Big Russ".

Giovanni Sanseviero  06/13/2008 08:36 PM Report

Well... another one of the few when gone is so apparent by what we no longer have to gauge life's curves by.

In today's times, with so many things unclear to me, Mr. Russert always seemed to gave me an informative starting point only to be upstaged by his truthful conclusions.

Rest in Peace

David  06/13/2008 06:53 PM Report

This is so sad...

I live in Sweden and I watch meet the press every week.

In my opinion Tim Russert was the best american journalist of all times!

Tony F  06/13/2008 06:15 PM Report

Our nation and the world have lost a great protector today.