"Meet the Press" Moderator Tim Russert dies

Tim Russert, NBC News’ Washington bureau chief and the moderator of “Meet the Press,” died Friday after collapsing, NBC News said. He was 58. Russert, the recipient of 48 honorary doctorates, joined NBC News in 1984 and took over the helm of “Meet the Press” in December 1991.

According to the New York Post, it was an apparent heart attack.  Russert was in the tracking booth, recording a track, when he collapsed.  He returned from Italy Thursday night.

Russert, who rose from the inside world of politics where he was former New York Gov. Mario Cuomo's press secretary and one-time chief of staff to the late Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan, was able to successfully cross over to political journalism and rise to become one of its leading lights.

Of his background as a Democratic political operative, Russert said, “My views are not important.”

In 2008, Time Magazine named him one of the world's 100 most influential people.

[Update]  We have more information from CNN. 

[NBC] said he collapsed at work Friday. He was taken to Washington's Sibley Memorial Hospital where he died, the hospital confirmed.

Colleague and former NBC anchor Tom Brokaw broke the news on the network Friday shortly after 3:40 p.m., saying Russert had just returned from a family vacation in Italy to celebrate the graduation of his son, Luke, from Boston College.

Condolences and kind words have been expressed from President Bush, Senator Barack Obama, Senator John McCain and news anchor Tom Brokaw as well as many other colleagues and friends.  Each sharing their respect and admiration for both the man and his work.

This is a developing story. Stay tuned as we learn more.

[Video below the jump about Tim Russert- the man]

Who was Tim Russert?  What kind of man was he?  How did he effect American politics, broadcast journalism and the lives of those he touched?  This video, courtesy of MSNBC, is a short glimpse into the man himself.

Comments

[Lisa V]

So sad.

[Amy@UWM]

So shocked about this. So very sad. He was one of the few mainstream journalists I actually liked and respected.

[Robyn]

I can't imagine Sunday mornings or Election Nights without him.

[ilinap]

Shit, I wish I hadn't read this before retiring for the night. Such a loss. He was one of the great ones for sure. What will Sunday mornings hold for us now? Who's going to fill his election shoes?

[Jo-Ann]

Incredibly sad.

[your mamma]

The best...very, very sad to lose a great journalist.

[Caroline]

This news is absolutely heart-breaking. Russert's true passion for politics and the election was so very contagious. He always got me fired up! He asked EXCELLENT questions and expected so much from those he interviewed. He summed up the big political picture smartly, sussinctly and straight from the hip. Watching his co-workers discuss his passing broke my heart. I am just not sure how this election will feel without him. Russert was always a "given" after a big election news event. Amoungst all of the pundits, the news anchors, the commentators - it was HE who I trusted. He who I wanted to hear from first. He spelled it out, set the tone and boiled it down. What a horrible loss. My heart goes out to his family and co-workers during this very sad and shocking time. If silly ol' me misses him this much already, I can't imagine what his family and the rest of the big news wigs are going through.