By all accounts, Tim Russert was a pretty incredible guy.
Of course, I didn’t know him. But I did “listen” to the Meet the Press podcast pretty regularly. I always liked his style. Straightforward. Dogged. Personable, yet direct. He asked the questions we wanted to ask. He didn’t throw up any gifts. Even though Chris Matthews has the show “Hardball,” Russert played hardball every week.
I knew he had written a book about growing up called “Me and Big Russ.” I haven’t read it – but I probably will now. (It’s interesting to me how little we want things to change, really. I don’t think I would have ever read that book – but now that Russert’s dead, I want to hold on to him for a little longer.)
What has impacted me most in the coverage of his death has been this simple statement that he made about his book. He said this:
“My father has read it, and my son has read it. And that makes it all worthwhile.”
I’m impressed by that. He’s had tons of accolades heaped on him posthumously. He’s been called “the greatest journalist of our time” and other lofty titles. But it’s this very simple life principle – that we are all just links in a generational chain that connects us to those who came before us and to those who will carry on without us is a great life lesson.
