Tim Russert, R.I.P.

There are certain Sunday morning rituals that I have had for years: reading the Sunday papers and watching "Meet the Press." So it was stunning to hear that the show's longtime moderator Tim Russert dropped dead earlier in the day in the Washington D.C. bureau of NBC News. He is believed to have had a fatal heart attack.

He was a tough interviewer - really grilled public figures - and someone who really had the respect of his fellow journalists. Here is an exchange he had just recently with John McCain, the Republican presidential candidate:

Russert: "You have said repeatedly, 'I know a lot less about economics than I do about military and foreign policy issues...'"
McCain: "Actually, I don't know where you got that quote from."
Russert: "I got it from John McCain and here it is."
McCain: "OK, let me tell you what I was trying to say and what I meant."

It is so sad to think that his life has ended at the age of 58 and that we won't have him holding the feet of politicians to the fire.

Tim also had a weekly CNBC talk show that I liked to watch where more relaxed conversations took place with authors and other noteworthy folks. My nephew Anthony, who had often stayed the weekend with his uncle Greg as a kid, always jokes about and imitates the "Meet the Press" theme music he would hear coming from my television when he was trying to get that last hour of sleep.

Rest in peace, Tim.

Here is the first report of his death, delivered by Tom Brokaw: