I was taking a look at my email yesterday...quickly deleting the accumulating garbage...when I saw one from NCforObama entitled Tim Russert Has Died. My thought was that "this is not funny". I followed the link to find out that it was true. Tim and I were both born in 1950. He was not someone that I ever met in person but felt like he was one of my high school friends. Routines on Sunday morning revolved around being promptly present with breakfast in front of Tim at 9:00. We never called it Meet The Press. It was a call from from my wife at the porch to the back yard where I was working saying "Tim will be on in ten minutes...hurry up!". It almost makes me feel silly now in a way. We sound like my parents. But the truth is...Tim Russert was THAT important. His interviews and discussions were revealing and allowed us to use our own brains. They educated us without dosing us with liberal or conservative values. He was a good natured, sports loving, family man...from my generation. He spoke the truth. Kenneth O’Donnell and David Powers wrote a book of memories about President Kennedy called “Johnny We Hardly Knew Ye” using the title of an old Irish ballad for the title. Here, in Tim Russert, is a fine Irish American life called home too soon as well. Timmy…We Hardly Knew Ye. There are none like him...and we will miss him greatly.
