The Death of Tim Russert

Today I was saddened and stunned by the truly tragic news that NBC's Washington Bureau chief Tim Russert died. As a political junkie, I followed almost every episode of "Meet the Press" and those Saturday nights when I went out late at night I would set my alarm clock to watch Sunday's Meet the Press at 10 (in Champaign) and 9 o'clock the next morning(when I was living in Kentucky). I would never ever get upset at his line of questioning--even while he was grilling Obama--and I would always turn off my set at the end of the show, feeling even more inspired by the gritty details of American politics. On the night Obama won the Democratic primary, Tim analyzed Obama's speech at St. Paul and he had tears in his eyes. He said his biggest wish at that moment was to teach American history in intercity schools. He had tears in his eyes when he said that this country finally had a clear choice and faced an exciting elections which he would cover. I remember thinking that night: "I can't wait to watch Tim Russert on the night of November 4." We have all been robbed of a wonderful man.

Tim, you will be greatly missed...