The three-day period of television mourning over the death of "Meet The Press" moderator Tim Russert proves two things: 1) TV journalists love talking about themselves and 2) journalism has lost a heavyweight champion.
I know a lot of you don't understand why NBC and all the cable news networks have devoted hour upon hour to this story. As I asked on Friday, what about all the people evacuated from their flooded homes in Cedar Rapids and Des Moines, Iowa? Aren't they worthy of a little airtime amid this wake?
But as a sign in Tim Russert's office said, "Thou Shalt Not Whine." Russert didn't. He didn't turn a weekly hour of television into a partisan gripe-fest with guests -- as is the standard for the cable shows. Russert didn't work off of party talking points. If you imploded on his show, it was because he used your own words against you or hit you with the question you were dodging. And if you wanted to be somebody in Washington, you didn't dodge him.
I hear the phrase "tough but fair" uttered consistently in his obituaries. It is like TV political journalism is writing its own obituary, wistful once again for the days of Walter and Edward and Eric. It knows it's too chummy with the insiders, but it can't be a player unless it has the key to the clubhouse door.
Tim Russert's chair is too big for most people to fill. I have two candidates who I think would be right for the job, but I know neither one of them would take it. Whomever NBC chooses to sit there next needs to realize, above anything else, that the moderator is not the star of the show but the advocate for the viewer.
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