Tim Russert

Like so many others, I was deeply saddened by Tim Russert's untimely passing. At 58, Tim died way too young.

I'll be 68 in September. Like Tim, I am overweight. I need to lose weight and exercise.

Like Tim, I am Roman Catholic, but Tim was a far better Roman Catholic than I have been.

Tim led an exemplary life, a role model in so many ways. I admire his devotion to his family. Tim was lucky to have his father still around.

My father, born in 1910, died from Hodgkin's Disease in January 1957, a month shy of his 47th birthday. I have missed him every single day since then. He is buried at a Catholic cemetery near Chicago.

When my Uncle Bob, now 81, and I visited Chicago in 2003, we visited my dad's grave and those of other relatives buried back there. It was sobering indeed to look at my dad's marker and see 1910-1957 on it. Uncle Bob was very close to my father and my mother (one of his older sisters).

When Tim Russert's book about Big Russ came out in 2004, I meant to read it but never did. Now I will. And his follow-up book.

"Meet The Press" has been one of the finest programs on television for a long time, especially since Tim took it over in 1992. I don't know what it will be like this morning, but I'll be watching.

On Friday, I was watching "my main man" at Fox News during his noon hour (Pacific Time) show when, near the end, Shep told us about Tim's passing. My roommate and I were glued to Fox News for the rest of the day, through Greta's show.

I cannot imagine a sadder day for television news journalists -- and for those who follow and depend on them.


Thunder Road by Bruce Springsteen

Ad Deum qui laetificat juventutem meam.
Goodbye, Tim....

George Spink
Los Angeles