Tribute To Tim Russert

It’s hard to believe that five years ago today we lost a giant.

On June 13, 2008, Meet the Press moderator Tim Russert died at the age of 58.

Tim was the preeminent political journalist of his time. You weren’t anyone in Washington until you could go toe-to-toe with Tim. He was famous for dragging quotes out of the archives and highlighting past positions that could leave even the most seasoned politician squirming.

Despite all the titles he held, the honors he received, and the politicians he knew, he was, at heart, a boy from Buffalo.

It wasn’t unusual for him to give a quick shout out to the Bills at the end of his broadcast.  Tim’s bestselling book, “Big Russ and Me,” detailed his life growing up in the blue-collar town as his father, Big Russ, worked two jobs to provide for his family.

He was bitten by the journalism bug early on, when his teacher at St. Bonaventure Elementary school enlisted him to write for the school newspaper. He eventually graduated from John Carroll University and Cleveland State Law School and got a job working for Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan.

But most importantly, Tim was a loving father, husband, and friend. When he died, tributes came from across the political spectrum and even those in music. Tim was an avid Bruce Springsteen fan and could

often be seen at his concerts.

Take a moment and give thanks for the contributions Tim made to both our political system and our country.

In politics, five years is an eternity. But it seems like just yesterday we lost Tim.