mike.holmes's Full Review: Rich Wolfe - Tim Russert, We Heartily Knew Ye: Won...
Amidst all of the celebrity deaths this last week, many are stiil mourning the loss of one of the great "news" men of the last several decades: Tim Russert. Mr. Russert died on June 13, 2008 but he left a host of friends and family plus viewers around the world who sorely miss his quick, incisive ability to get to the heart of a story,
The "author" of "TIM RUSSERT, WE HEARTILY KNEW YE: WONDERFUL STORIES FROM FRIENDS CELEBRATING A GREAT LIFE" readily admits that he is not an author in the traditional sense. However, Rich Wolfe is recognized as "the author of 31 books" which include works about Mike Ditka, Harry Caray, Jack Buck and a number of teams from the Yankees to Notre Dame. Mr. Wolfe actually only wrote an introductory preface for this book. The remaining chapters are taken from interviews of people who knew Tim Russert over his entire lifespan.
The chapters are divided more or less into a chronological order starting with Tim's early life in his beloved Buffalo, New York, passing through his undergrad days at John Carroll University, then through his days at Marshall Law School while also discussing his work for Senator Patrick Moynihan and Gov. Mario Cuomo. Throughout the book, references are also made to the role in Russert's life that truly set him apart: the host of "Meet The Press" on NBC.
Obviously, the book has no plot but the author does manage to get a central message across through his various interviews: Tim Russert was not only an extremely intelligent and hard-working journalist, he was also a fun-loving, family and friend-loving individual who touched more lives than can be imagined. Over and over in the book, an interviewee will relate that Tim Russert either changed his or her life or just added to the quality of those around him.
It becomes obvious from those interviewed that Tim Russert was a "political animal" in the best sense of those words from a very early age. Friend after after friend tells how Russert would manage to accomplish goals that they thought impossible. At John Carroll and at Marshall Law School, he brought several famous musical acts such as Bruce Springsteen and Sly and the Family Stone to perform.
But, more importantly, the book highlights how Tim Russert was always prepared for his work through a dogged determination to "be the best." We also read about a man who could dive to the very heart of a problem and ask the most incisive questions without being rude or obnoxious as some of the so-called journalists of today (think O'Reilly or Limbaugh) are on a daily basis.
There are a few editorial cartoons in the book and a photo spread that shows Tim with a "fu man chu" mustache in college and with various politicians on his show and elsewhere.
The book also shows how loyal Tim Russert was not only to his hometown and the Buffalo Bills (and Bisons-a minor league baseball team) but to his friends and family. Tim would do things for people that he barely knew but never sought publicity for his good deeds.
There were no interviews of family members by the author but Tim's wife Maureen Orth and his son Luke were obviously at the center of his life. I was particularly moved by a passage at the very end of the book related by the "man who put Tim on Meet the Press", Michael Gartner. Gartner had lost 17 year old son to juvenile diabetes in 1994 and Tim brought an amazing thought to Gartner:
"Think of it this way. If God had come t you seventeen years ago and said to you, "I'll give you a healthy, happy, terrific kid for 17 years, and that's it,' you'd have made the deal." Gartner related this story to Luke Russert who in turn changed the message at his dad's funeral to "If God offered me a Dad that great but I could only have him 20 years..."
While we all lost a wonderful, truly insightful newsman on June 13, 2008, I think that we also would have made that "deal with God" to have this wonderful man for 58 years.
The book is heartwarming without being overly sentimental. There are humorous passages about Tim Russert's ability to "move mountains". I recommend the book for anyone who watched "Meet The Press" or for anyone who believes that folks in the media aren't decent human beings. Tim Russert was a giant among decent men.
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