(Associated Press Photo)I have to admit that I rarely watched "Meet the Press," but you didn't have to to know Tim Russert and respect his work. He was one of those journalists who was bigger than life - an American institution that somehow was just there every Sunday morning.
The most incredible part about Russert though, despite his fame, power, and influence, was his genuine personality grounded in his modest upbringing. He grew up in Buffalo, NY. His father was a city sanitation worker and newspaper delivery man. Tim never forgot his background, as he most clearly demonstrated through his book "Big Russ and Me."
He was a journalist who cared not about his personal status as a celebrity reporter, but about the importance of his profession. He served as the longest running anchor of the longest running television program in America. He drove the news cycle in political reporting for the week ahead for 17 years. He will continue to serve as the gold standard for political reporting and the journalism profession in general. He will be missed, especially in an election year like this one.
See the videos below for NBC's special report announcing Russert's death as well as a tribute done later that day.
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