Luke Russert by Paul Morigi/ WireImage.com
Late host of Meet the Press Tim Russert may no longer be a part of the NBC News family, but the Russert name will carry on at the Peacock as his son Luke joins on as a new correspondent for the network. According to The New York Times, young Russert's first assignment will begin late August at the Democratic National Convention in Denver followed by the Republican National Convention in St. Paul at the beginning of September. President of NBC News Steve Capus is confident "Luke will bring a unique perspective" to covering this election especially since "so much attention has turned to the youth vote." Prior to his father's death on June 13, Luke Russert had established a name for himself in the media world having co-hosted an XM radio show with political pundit James Carville for two years. An NBC spokeswoman also confirmed that Russert will be continuing with his work for NBC after the November election turning his attention to covering youth issues. What do you think about Luke f...
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Tim Russert courtesy NBC Photo
When veteran newsman Tim Russert died at the age of 58 last month, everyone in America joined his family in mourning his passing — none more so than the good people of Buffalo, New York, Russert's home town. On Monday's Today show, Russert's widow, journalist Maureen Orth, said she was "astounded" by the "outpouring of love" that she and her son have received from stricken fans. "We're doing great," said Orth, who also talked about her Vanity Fair piece on France's first lady, Carla Bruni.As for how Russert's home town is responding to his death, a section of U.S. Route 20A which runs in front of the Buffalo Bills' stadium has already been named the Timothy J. Russert Highway. And according to an article in The Washington Post, if a grass-roots movement is successful, the Buffalo-Niagara International Airport will bear Russert's name as well. — Nina Hämmerling SmithDo you think Russert should be honored in the same way New York Mayor Fiorello La Guardia and President ...
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Tom Brokaw by Tom Brokaw by Gary Gershoff/WireImage.com
Former NBC News anchor Tom Brokaw has been named interim moderator of Meet the Press. He will moderate MTP beginning Sunday, June 29 and will serve in that post through November's presidental election.Former host Tim Russert died of a heart attack June 13. Brokaw also hosted a special MTP edition last week that recounted Russert's life and career. Current Nightly News anchor Brian Williams moderated today's MTP telecast.The AP reports Brokaw discussed taking over the moderator post with NBC News president Steve Capus while riding the train back from Washington to New York from Wednesday's memorial service for Russert."The plan is for me to be in place until they can find somebody who can take it over on a permanent basis," Brokaw said.In addition to finding a full-time MTP moderator to take over following November's elections, NBC must find someone to fill Russert's shoes as Washington bureau chief. — J.R. WhalenRelated:• Cheers: A Memorable Tim Russert Memorial• Who ...
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Just as mourners were leaving a memorial service yesterday for Tim Russert in our nation's capital, something absolutely incredible happened: A rainbow appeared! Ironically, they had just heard a rendition of the song "Somewhere over the Rainbow" at the service. Coincidence? We think not!
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Tim Russert by Giovanni Rufino/MSNBC
It didn't take long for media critics and bloggers to start whining over how much time NBC News and its cable network are devoting to the death of Tim Russert.
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Tim Russert Prayer card by Ali Goldstein/NBC Photo
Cheers to MSNBC for televising a truly remarkable memorial service for Tim Russert. Tom Brokaw accurately predicted the Irish-style wake would contain "some laughs, some tears and the occasional truth." Among the high points: Journalist pal Al Hunt describing Tim's opinion of his amazing son, Luke, as "the most memorable baby in almost 2000 years." Boston scribe Mike Barnicle recalling his own son, Little Tim, and Big Tim celebrating the Red Sox winning the pennant over the Yankees and "both acting their age — 12." Bruce Springsteen's moving version of "Thunder Road" (via satellite from Europe). Maria Shriver recalling her mother's reaction to Russert: "Now that's the kind of jolly Irish Catholic boy I thought you would marry — what happened?" And Brian Williams breaking the news of Russert's heart-rendingly apt last words: "What's happening?" What's happening now: America is mourning an extraordinary journalist and an even better man.• Share your own raves and rants...
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Tom Brokaw by Ali Goldstein/NBC
Executives at NBC News are still reeling over the death of friend and colleague Tim Russert. But soon they will have to come up with a plan about how to proceed with their coverage of the 2008 Presidential campaign, which includes picking Russert's successor at Meet the Press. While we believe there are only two real candidates for the job, here's what we think about all the names that have been thrown out there.
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Tom Brokaw courtesy NBC
As the broadcast news community and its audience still reels from the news of Tim Russert's passing, NBC has decided to broadcast this Sunday a special, Tom Brokaw-hosted edition of Meet the Press, celebrating the political analyst's extraordinary life and career."Tim was a man of many passions — his family most of all, his faith, his country, political journalism, baseball and the Buffalo Bills," Brokaw shares in a statement. "As a working class Irish-American with a Jesuit education his range was wide and deep — from the sensibilities of blue-collar voters to the politics of the Vatican, from the power plays on Capitol Hill to the power plays on network television. Almost all of our conversations — and they went on every day — ended with some version of, 'Can you believe how lucky we are to be doing this?'"Brokaw is the one who broke into Friday-afternoon programming to report the sudden passing of the NBC family's "beloved colleague."In most markets, Meet the ...
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Tim Russert by Virginia Sherwood/MSNBC Photo
The sudden and shocking death on Friday at 58 of Tim Russert, NBC’s Washington bureau chief and since 1991 the famously tenacious moderator of Sunday morning’s iconic Meet the Press, leaves a tremendous void in TV’s political landscape during one of the most historic presidential contests ever. Few figures have loomed as large during political seasons in the modern TV era as Russert, with his brash and infectious enthusiasm for politics, his dogged interrogation techniques and, as NBC anchor Brian Williams noted affectionately (from Afghanistan, where he’s on assignment), his “aggressively unfancy” manner.TV Guide once selected Russert’s use of a white eraser board on 2000’s historic and inconclusive presidential election night, brandishing the words “Florida Florida Florida” in a low-tech display of uncanny foresight, as one of the “100 Most Memorable TV Moments” in TV history. Time Magazine recently named him one of the 1...
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Tim Russert by Virginia Sherwood/MSNBC Photo
Tim Russert died on Friday of an apparent heart attack after collapsing at NBC's Washington bureau, where he was recording voiceovers for this weekend's Meet the Press. He was 58.In reporting on-air on the passing of his "beloved colleague," Tom Brokaw said, "This news division will not be the same without his strong, clear voice." Added Brian Williams in a Friday MSNBC newscast, "[Tim] was as addicted to his work as anyone I know. It was his life's love." Russert — NBC News' senior vice president and Washington bureau chief — among his other accomplishments had moderated Meet the Press since December 1991. Meet the Press is the longest-running program on network television, having made its NBC-TV debut on November 6, 1947. Russert served as Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan's chief-of-staff and former New York Governor Mario Cuomo's press secretary before crossing over into journalism and joining NBC News in 1984. In remembering Russert, NBC News' chief foreign affairs corresp...
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