Reaction From Obama, McCain And The President

President Bush:

Laura and I are deeply saddened by the sudden passing of Tim Russert. Those of us who knew and worked with Tim, his many friends, and the millions of Americans who loyally followed his career on the air will all miss him.

As the longest-serving host of the longest-running program in the history of television, he was an institution in both news and politics for more than two decades. Tim was a tough and hardworking newsman. He was always well-informed and thorough in his interviews. And he was as gregarious off the set as he was prepared on it.

Most important, Tim was a proud son and father, and Laura and I offer our deepest sympathies to his wife Maureen, his son Luke, and the entire Russert family. We will keep them in our prayers.

John McCain:

"I am very saddened by Tim Russert's sudden death. Cindy and I extend our thoughts and prayers to the Russert family as they cope with this shocking loss and remember the life and legacy of a loving father, husband and the preeminent political journalist of his generation. He was truly a great American who loved his family, his friends, his Buffalo Bills, and everything about politics and America. He was just a terrific guy. I was proud to call him a friend, and in the coming days, we will pay tribute to a life whose contributions to us all will long endure."

Barack Obama:

We all I think have heard the news about Tim Russert. Ive known Tim Russert since I first spoke at the convention in 2004. He's somebody who overtime I came to consider not only a journalist but a friend. There wasnt a better interviewer in TV, not a more thoughtful analyst of our politics and he was also one of the finest men I knew. Somebody who cared about America, cared about the issues, cared about family. I am griefstricken with the loss and my thoughts and prayers go out to his family. And I hope that even though Tim is irreplaceable that the standard that he set in his professional life and his family life are standards that we all carry with us in our own lives."

Former vice president Al Gore:

The US and the world have a lost a great journalist, interviewer and author. He was an original and will be greatly missed

Comments

OMG...I was so mad at him the other day, I said "Die you fat little ****!" (at the T.V.).

Now I feel terrible, it's all my fault.

Posted by robert ethan | June 13, 2008 6:34 PM

WOW This is really upsetting... I watched his program this past Sunday! He is/was a warm, down-to-earth, kind of guy. Tim Russert had aura of credibility that -- supported by his friendly demeanor -- made him a great and likable journalist. "Meet the Press" will never be the same.

My condolences to his family, friends, and colleagues.

Posted by Rafael Hernandez | June 13, 2008 8:01 PM

WOW This is really upsetting... I watched his program this past Sunday! He is/was a warm, down-to-earth, kind of guy. Tim Russert had aura of credibility that -- supported by his friendly demeanor -- made him a great and likable journalist. "Meet the Press" will never be the same.

My condolences to his family, friends, and colleagues.

Posted by Rafael Hernandez | June 13, 2008 8:01 PM

WOW This is really upsetting... I watched his program this past Sunday! He is/was a warm, down-to-earth, kind of guy. Tim Russert had aura of credibility that -- supported by his friendly demeanor -- made him a great and likable journalist. "Meet the Press" will never be the same.

My condolences to his family, friends, and colleagues.

Posted by Rafael Hernandez | June 13, 2008 8:01 PM

WOW This is really upsetting... I watched his program this past Sunday! He is/was a warm, down-to-earth, kind of guy. Tim Russert had aura of credibility that -- supported by his friendly demeanor -- made him a great and likable journalist. "Meet the Press" will never be the same.

My condolences to his family, friends, and colleagues.

Posted by Rafael Hernandez | June 13, 2008 8:01 PM

Sorry... it seemed as if the cgi scripted stalled.

Posted by Rafael Hernandez | June 13, 2008 8:04 PM

I dislike politics, but Tim Russert made it tolerable. I enjoyed his presentation in all environments, political and non.

Posted by Sara | June 13, 2008 8:19 PM

Why is it that the transcription of Obama's remarks are full of typos?

Here you can copy/paste this....

We all, I think, have heard the news about Tim Russert. I've known Tim Russert since I first spoke at the convention in 2004. He's somebody who over time I came to consider not only a journalist, but a friend. There wasn't a better interviewer in television, not a more thoughtful analyst of our politics, and he was also one of the finest men I knew - somebody who cared about America, cared about the issues, cared about family. I am grief-stricken with the loss, and my thoughts and prayers go out to his family. And I hope his family life, and I hope that even though Tim is irreplaceable, that the standard that he set in his professional life and with his family life are standards that we all carry with us in our own lives.

Posted by Karen | June 13, 2008 8:42 PM

So you can take the time to carefully edit McCain's, Bush's and Gore's soundbites, but leave Barack Obama's full of typos? Why? On a subconscious level, your mistakes make him seem like an illiterate-- unfairly, because his statement about Russert's passing is the most thoughtful of the bunch, and not as obviously scripted as Bush's and McCain's are. (Gore's is just boilerplate.) It seems like Obama really meant this from the heart, and those are his true feelings. Your typos undermine Obama's statement, IMHO. Please fix.

Posted by Pat | June 13, 2008 9:41 PM

Only a month or so ago, I heard an Audiobook about
Tim Russert (Big Tim) here he gave us a wonderful account
about his life, his relationship with his family, especially his Dad.
Both my wife and I so enjoyed this Audiobook, that we have ordered other books written (about) by him.
To us,he represented the very best of values of America. Only last October, we spent some time in both NYC, Jersey City and Pennsylvania. It really brought home to me how beautful your country is and how resilient its people are. Tim Russert represented the very best of them ... !
Nicholas (Mike) and Alma Van Dwingelen,
8 Stanley St.
Olinda/Vic. 3788 - AUSTRALIA

Posted by Mike B.Van Dwingelen | June 14, 2008 5:41 AM

Only a month or so ago, I heard an Audiobook about
Tim Russert (Big Tim) here he gave us a wonderful account
about his life, his relationship with his family, especially his Dad.
Both my wife and I so enjoyed this Audiobook, that we have ordered other books written (about) by him.
To us,he represented the very best of values of America. Only last October, we spent some time in both NYC, Jersey City and Pennsylvania. It really brought home to me how beautful your country is and how resilient its people are. Tim Russert represented the very best of them ... !
Nicholas (Mike) and Alma Van Dwingelen,
8 Stanley St.
Olinda/Vic. 3788 - AUSTRALIA

Posted by Mike B.Van Dwingelen | June 14, 2008 5:41 AM

I am deeply saddened by the death of this honorable, honest, courageous and worthy American, father, husband, journalist who is the most visionary figure in American Politics. Tim's tremendous work has induced life, energy and most importantly truth into American politics. I am a devout Christian who makes it a point of duty to watch "Meet the Press" every Sunday before going to church because this program affords me the rare opportunity to hear the truth about what is really going on in this country. I feel really empty and sad at this time and it is with tears in my eyes I say "ADIEU MY FRIEND". My prayers go out to Tim's family and also every American who yearns for the truth. I pray that God gives us all the fortitude to bear his loss.

Posted by Midtols | June 14, 2008 4:35 PM

I am deeply saddened by the death of this honorable, honest, courageous and worthy American, father, husband, journalist who is the most visionary figure in American Politics. Tim's tremendous work has induced life, energy and most importantly truth into American politics. I am a devout Christian who makes it a point of duty to watch "Meet the Press" every Sunday before going to church because this program affords me the rare opportunity to hear the truth about what is really going on in this country. I feel really empty and sad at this time and it is with tears in my eyes I say "ADIEU MY FRIEND". My prayers go out to Tim's family and also every American who yearns for the truth. I pray that God gives us all the fortitude to bear his loss.

Posted by Midtols | June 14, 2008 4:35 PM

Now that I've had time to reflect, I can only say that Russert died far too suddenly.

The obits will say, DIED - Timothy Russert, television journalist, SUDDENLY, at the age of 58.

The Lord works in mysterious ways. Only the good die young, and at 58, Tim wasn't young. But he wasn't OLD either, so I suppose he had some good in him.

Olbermann and Matthews on the other hand.....

Posted by robert ethan | June 15, 2008 3:14 PM