Tim Russert, 1950-2008

I was saddened to hear this news that Tim Russert, managing editor and moderator of "Meet the Press," died this afternoon, Friday, after suffering a heart attack.

I used to dislike him during the Clinton impeachment trial. He seemed very obsessed and upset by Clinton's peccadillos, lies and evasions, and I considered such responses typically American-provincial and conservative. I learned a few things since then, not to jump to conclusions about anything or anybody, based on momentary flashes of annoyance or contempt. I realized he was a conscientious and meticulous thinking person who looked at details and was interested in unraveling or extracting answers to seeming contradictions between what is being averred and what is being acted, or done, even when his questions might be interpreted by others as too nit-picking. I've more or less adopted the same methodology in recent years and find that at times I inspire similar dislike to myself as he inspired in me all those years ago.

One lives and one learns. One is also sad that this kind of self-enlightenment did not happen earlier and sooner so that I could enjoy more years of watching him and learning from him.