RIP Tim Russert

Whenever I lamented the fact that American TV news media is dominated by partisan hacks (both on the left and the right), bimbos/himbos, and brain-dead line-toers, I always considered Tim Russert an exception. Catching Meet The Press every Sunday morning was a treat, because that was the only show where politicians actually got asked tough questions, and they could not get away with verbal gymnastics. Even during the Primary season debates, he was the best moderators. I associated Tim with the romanticized idea of fierce uncompromising journalism, free from the trappings of political posturing, tabloidization of the media, and the convenience of comfort zones.

With his untimely death, American TV news has lost its last big lion.

P.S. Even in death, Tim managed to do something phenomenal. Charles Krauthammer is on Fox News praising Russert. This is the first time ever that Krauthammer has managed to be on TV for 10 straight minutes without sounding like a completely clueless moron. Who would have thought Krauthammer had it in him? Tim deserves all the credit.