The hardest working man in television news has died.
NBC political guru and host of “Meet the Press,” Tim Russert died at work this afternoon.
According to reports, the famous TV journalist and political heavyweight collapsed while he was recording a voice-over at NBC’s Washington news bureau. He was 58 years old.
The New York Times is reporting that an ambulance rushed to the studio and at one point Russert was reportedly briefly revived, but according to witnesses, the broadcasting giant apparently passed away either on the way or at a local Washington D.C. hospital.
About an hour ago former NBC anchor and Russert’s good friend Tom Brokaw broke into regular viewing to announce the sad news.
“The news division will not be the same without his strong, clear voice,” a choked up Brokaw said.
According to Brokaw, Russert had just returned from a family vacation in Italy last night and was prepping for Sunday’s “Meet the Press” when he suddenly collapsed.
Sources at NBC say the network allowed itself to be scooped by other media outlets such as the New York Times as staff members desperately tried to contact Russert’s wife Maureen and son Luke, who are reportedly still in Italy.
Reports say the family had taken the early summer trip abroad to celebrate Luke’s recent graduation from Boston College.
Russert was born to a blue-collar family in Buffalo, New York on May 7, 1950, and went on to graduate from John Carroll University and the Cleveland-Marshall College of Law. Before starting his journalism career Russert was former New York Gov. Mario Cuomo’s press secretary and one-time chief of staff to the late Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan.
Russert didn’t join NBC News until 1984. In 1991 he took over as host of “Meet the Press.” Now in its 60th year, “Meet the Press” is the longest-running program in the history of television. In addition to his on-air duties Russert was also a vice president of NBC News and head of its overall Washington operations.
Any one who has ever picked up a TV remote has surely caught Russert’s mug during his nearly round-the-clock presence on NBC and MSNBC.
Frankly, I can’t believe Tim Russert is dead. I had the honor of speaking with him via satellite when I worked at a local NBC affiliate in Wisconsin and he was as professional and kind as he appears on TV day in and day out.
I can’t imagine what his wife and son are going through as they jet back to the United States from what they now will forever remember as their family’s last vacation together.
Heart breaking.
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