Tim Russert dies after heart attack at 58 years old

[Stone]

http://www.wtop.com/?sid=1421678&nid=25

The best political journalist in the business, and a man I was looking forward to hearing in the fall. So sad that he's gone, and gone way too early in life.

[Lucid]

You can second that one... 58 and gone.

Somethings are just not right.

[rcali bolt hed]

In the words of Billy Joel. - Only the good die young.

[JCDavey]

it's a shame, he seemed to be a good guy

[jackfrost]

Man, just read that..............Guess the Stress level of that type of work, took it's toll.............58 is way to young.

Seemed a very knowledgable Guy..............

[Blue Bolt]

Tim Russert was what every journalist should aspire to be - fair, honest, tough, and never partisan with his opinions.

Sadly, there is no one that can fill his shoes right now. It's a real loss for journalism and the country.

[bolthead123]

That sucks. He was a brutal interviewer and I liked watching how he moderated debates. They guy was always professional and very knowledgeable but he never seemed to play favorites even though he was a democrat. He was one of the few figures in the media that had credibility and a real passion for the truth. I keep thinking all these guys are going to live a long time like Mike Wallace and then something like heart disease comes along.

[Blue Bolt]

I now understand that it might not have been a heart attack that killed Tim Russert, as first reported.

Russert had just completed a long plane trip from Italy -- a risk factor for deep vein thrombosis. He complained of not being able to breath, which is a symptom of a thrombosis that effects the lungs. There is a significant risk of the thrombus embolizing and traveling to the lungs causing a pulmonary embolism.

Obviously, the autopsy will reveal what actually killed Russert, but considering he just returned from Europe, deep vein thrombosis is a distinct possibility.

[Lucid]

Long periods of limited movement combined with recycled air and microwaved food.

Not exactly a winning combination.

No matter what the cause its a loss to us all and deepest sympathy goes to his family.

[RMANCIL]

NBC’s Tim Russert dies of heart attack at 58
Washington bureau chief, ‘Meet the Press’ moderator collapsed on job (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25145431/?GT1=43001)

Tim Russert on the set of ‘Meet the Press’ in February 2007.
View related photos Slide show


NBC’s Tim Russert
The life of the political journalist
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NBC News and MSNBC
updated 1 hour, 12 minutes ago
WASHINGTON - Tim Russert, NBC News’ Washington bureau chief and the moderator of “Meet the Press,” died Friday after suffering a heart attack at the bureau. He was 58.

Russert was recording voiceovers for Sunday’s “Meet the Press” broadcast when he collapsed. He was rushed to Sibley Memorial Hospital in Washington, where resuscitation efforts were unsuccessful.

Russert’s physician, Michael Newman, said cholesterol plaque ruptured in an artery, causing sudden coronary thrombosis.

Russert had earlier been diagnosed with asymptomatic coronary artery disease, but it was well-controlled with medication and exercise, and he had performed well on a stress test in late April, Newman said. An autopsy revealed that he also had an enlarged heart, Newman said.

Russert’s death left his colleagues devastated.

He was “one of the premier political journalists and analysts of his time,” Tom Brokaw, the former longtime anchor of “NBC Nightly News,” said in announcing Russert’s death Friday afternoon. Brian Williams, managing editor and anchor of “NBC Nightly News,” called his death a “staggering, overpowering and sudden loss.”

“Meet the Press,” which he began hosting in 1991, was considered an essential proving ground in the career of any national politician.

“If you could pass the Tim Russert test, you could do something in this field,” said Howard Fineman, senior Washington correspondent for Newsweek magazine and a columnist for msnbc.com.

Tenacity and passion
Russert was best known for his on-air tenacity as a reporter and his consuming passion for politics, which were evident during his nearly round-the-clock appearances on NBC and MSNBC on election nights.


cont...

Dam I am sad to hear this ,I liked him... I liked his style ..his passion.

[Der_BlitzSchlag]

I now understand that it might not have been a heart attack that killed Tim Russert, as first reported.

Russert had just completed a long plane trip from Italy -- a risk factor for deep vein thrombosis. He complained of not being able to breath, which is a symptom of a thrombosis that effects the lungs. There is a significant risk of the thrombus embolizing and traveling to the lungs causing a pulmonary embolism.

Obviously, the autopsy will reveal what actually killed Russert, but considering he just returned from Europe, deep vein thrombosis is a distinct possibility.

First and foremost, if you are a political junkie as I am and you do not belong to either the fringe lunatics of either the right or the left, you'd know that today we lost of of the greatest journalists of his generation, if NOT the GREATEST in that high 50s and low 60s age range. His death was sudden, unexpected and shocking; may he rest in peace and God's speed to his family.

The saddest part is that Mr. Russert passed away just before this coming Father's Day and that he was a great admirer of his own dad, aka "Big Russ" whom he had the greatest respect for as shown by the number of books which Mr. Russert had writing recently regarding his experiences with his Dad's generation (The Greatest Generation). Judging by Tim Russert's books, he was even a greater human being than he was a journalist. He will be dearly missed but hopefully his legacy will live and carry on.

Finally, I think that he died of a cardiac arrest and not pulmonary embolism. It was NBC's David Bloom who had died of that a couple of years ago.

[Caslon]

What team did he play for? NBC?

[bwells]

Good thing he was a Charge- oh wait....why is this here again?

[Blue Bolt]

Already posted in Off Topic, where it thread belongs: http://forums.chargers.com/showthread.php?t=55684

[Blue Bolt]

I stand corrected, it wasn't thrombosis according to the autopsy. I just read that his internist said that Russert had an enlarged heart and significant coronary disease.

The long plane flight may've added stress to his condition though. I wonder if he was undergoing treatment for coronary disease. If it was that bad, you'd think his doctor's would've known about it.

[LightsOut4ever]

The piece NFLTA did on him was very good. This guy seemed to be a Bills fan with all his heart (told Sable in an interview that was after the 3rd SB loss I think -- that they weren't cursed, they were blessed). RIP.

[Stone]

Yeah, Brokaw was telling some story about Russert questioning God if the Bills didn't beat the Cowboys. When Dallas whooped 'em, Brokaw told Russert it was proof that God was a Baptist. I wish I had the full line for the story, because it was incredibly funny.

You can tell that a media member is important when all three major news networks are covering the death and pouring on about their experiences with the deceased without any shying away from the fact they're praising a competitor. It was weird to see CNN broadcasting clips from NBC, but I'm glad they were doing it.

[LightsOut4ever]

Yeah, Brokaw was telling some story about Russert questioning God if the Bills didn't beat the Cowboys. When Dallas whooped 'em, Brokaw told Russert it was proof that God was a Baptist. I wish I had the full line for the story, because it was incredibly funny.

You can tell that a media member is important when all three major news networks are covering the death and pouring on about their experiences with the deceased without any shying away from the fact they're praising a competitor. It was weird to see CNN broadcasting clips from NBC, but I'm glad they were doing it.

Russ said something along the lines that it was in God's plans for BUF to win finally (most of the BUF area is catholic) and when they lost, Russ ran into Brokaw who was standing at the bar and said "I guess God's a Southern Baptist" (not much added, but it's all I could remember).

[Clint Beastwood]

Italy to DC isnt that long a plane trip, maybe like 7 hours or so...

[Equalizir]

I now understand that it might not have been a heart attack that killed Tim Russert, as first reported.

Russert had just completed a long plane trip from Italy -- a risk factor for deep vein thrombosis. He complained of not being able to breath, which is a symptom of a thrombosis that effects the lungs. There is a significant risk of the thrombus embolizing and traveling to the lungs causing a pulmonary embolism.

Obviously, the autopsy will reveal what actually killed Russert, but considering he just returned from Europe, deep vein thrombosis is a distinct possibility.


So your saying he got sick in Italy from this deep vein thrombosis?

[Stone]

I'm sure Tim Russert was better at the news than this guy (http://www.radaronline.com/exclusives/2008/06/reporter-transition-partner-murder.php)

[JPPT1974]

RIP Tim as you will be missed by all!