One year ago today, one of my heroes passed away and yes I think there was foul play here as well.___________________________________
I haven’t been as sad at the passing of anyone since Anwar Sadat until Tim Russert. Not only was I a Meet the Press Junkie,but a lifelong fan of the man. Blue collar class all the way was Russert. An every man’s man who earned his way not on privilege or plot but on the work ethic and ability to talk to Popes, Kings and the trash collectors in Buffalo.
When the name Russert came up, everyone shuddered if called to be on his show for they knew they were going to get the full frontal interview of the most prepared man on television. They also knew that he was going to confront them in a way as to never be underhanded but as directly blunt and concise from a host with the ammunition of their entire history presented to them on transparent platter.
Those who followed Russert already knew the merits of this mans moral upbringing. From Big Russ to Moynihan, he had the best role models. It seems though that even without them, Russert would have ended up with the same fan base of friends and admirers that we know were devastated at his untimely death.
I, for one feel a terrible sense of loss as if he were a brother or good friend. But more than that it is the loss of the kind of men we need more of in the Washington sector. Ones that make us secure in knowing they still exist. When we look back at the acme in journalism we will be reminded that Russert all too short time here was long enough to make him one of those who worked tirelessly and honestly in a field he loved and that did it with credibility and integrity. That makes him one of the greats.
I will miss this man every week.
Oh that American Dream! poor little boy makes it to the halls of power and they love him.....
ReplyDeleteThink it might have been all those soft-balls he threw them?
Love him if you want to Patrick, but don't neglect the fact that he was an insider and liked it that way.
Patrick, with all his homespun charm and aw shucks personality, I have to agree with Laudy on this one.
ReplyDeleteHe DID lob softballs at all the Bush shills who appeared on his show. I originally liked the man but with every show my respect eroded bit by bit.
However, I do remember thinking he seemed to be asking tougher questions just before he died. Not hardball, but not those big fat softballs he was throwing before. I even had the thought that maybe he was tired of carrying the water for the nwo and they had him offed. But, I'm not quite convinced of that.
I kinda have to agree.
ReplyDeleteThose are the people I hold responssible for NOT blowing whistles all over the place. They are the sentinels and they took all of the $200. lunches and expensive "gifts", went home to their glorious families and shut up, while Rome burned. I don't know a goddam one of them to be proud of.
Who stood behind their own words as the Towers fell and said 'live' on the air,
'It looks just like the buildings were being professionally demolished'? No one, What the hell kind of reporting is that? Who shouted out when the election count was stopped in the 2000 elections and bush was declared President by his own Campaign manager" Don't get me started. As far as I'm concerned every single member of the press should be lashed. They should be ashamed of themselves, they sold out America,.
Hero? No fuckin way. Sorry Puddy but I can't grasp it.
One day, we will find some evidence of his involvement in the Plame leak. This will come as a revelation to many as I believe it came to Russert.
ReplyDeleteAs insiders may be, many have no true inside to what COTO knows or refuse to believe it. Russert to me, was one who may have come around as his trip to Italy was likely the point he was targeted.
The Yellowcake episode could have by itself sunk the GOP and the the NEO-CON agenda certainly and Russert was on the whistleblower trail.
Would he have carried the deep throat messages, we may not know, but I know the trail of Cheney's enemies and Russert knew them as well.
Let's wait to see if Robert Novak survives as he was targeted as well.
Hey Cap'n! How did Russert die? Do you think he was wellstoned? I never watch tv (don't even own one) so I'm not up on msm media stuff.
ReplyDeleteCinderfella, My Bad Dream #937
ReplyDeleteWhat if Tim Russerts body was exhumed and pathologists find several chemicals in high doses. These compounds include Simvastatin, Cerivastatin and Warfarin in excessive quantities. Medical experts including pathologists and pharmacologists agree that the condition of Russert’s enlarged heart and his intima-media atherosclerosis was subject to a torpedo effect in the form of a Thromboembolism that traveled from his heart to his left anterior descending coronary artery.
The combination of these substances acted as a drain cleaner to remove the soft plaque, scar tissues and other fragmentation’s to form the major clot. Though Russerts medical family history and the overall condition of Russert’s disease was well managed, the combinations of these high chemical doses triggered an coronary episode that could not have been predicted at the time of emergency treatment and the attempts to resuscitate and defibrillate.
If the matter was been turned over to credible authorities for further investigation they could seek to review his medication history and how these compounds found their way into his system. An additional autopsy of stomach contents should be performed. Sources confirmed that Russert was exercising vigorously on a treadmill earlier the day of his death and that was a added factor to the event that occurred.
Speculation was already swirling around the conspiracy community as to who might benefit and what would motivate the possible foul play. Russert was in the center of the Valerie Plame Affair and the subsequent indictment, conviction and sentence commutation of Lewis “Scooter” Libby. Executive orders 12958 and 13292 have effectively eliminated Congress from getting to the matters of the intelligence used by the White House to justify pre-emptive invasion of Iraq. The release of information from informant “CURVE BALL” and other revelations regarding the weak or non-existent intelligence have been circling the Internet.
Was Russert privy to some deep throat and was he investigating some source for information regarding areas of intelligence or the lack thereof to justify the actions of the administration to perpetrate a knowingly false campaign in regards to Saddam Hussein, Iraq, WMD, biological weapons and links to Al-Qaeda?
Russert's long time friend and physician, Dr. Michael Newman should respond to why an autopsy was completed within 24 hours and how could poison or high medication doses could have been identified without the full autopsy which would require substantially more time.
Don't be swayed by the soft ball comments. Russert hit Kerry and Bush on the the most highly watched news program about skull and bones. He attacked Obama regarding Farakan and was number one on Hillary Clintons hit list.
Was this discussed with the administration and the Vatican during the Papal visit?
Was Russert poisoned during his time in Italy by the Club of Rome?
What was discussed during his trip abroad?
Is there a reason why the we are going to a national health medical database and does that become a decider in how you are terminated?
Was there some plans for Russert to interview strategic players and deliver a knock out blow?
Did this send the message to others that may have been coming forward that they can get to anybody?
Was Tim a sacrificial lamb to send a message to Scott McClellan, Joe Wilson, Valerie Plame and other whistleblowers?
Robert Novak likely has some thoughts if his brain tumor hasn't made him incoherent. Novak had the information and sources that Russert wanted as well.
Thanks for the detailed explanation. You should've put it all in the main body of your article. Very informative.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your assessment John. There is no one in MSM that I can hang a star on. I have written often about the 60 minutes crew as well. Once Watergate was brought to light, the COMMITTEE proceeded to buy up the media.
ReplyDeleteIn the late seventies a highly regarded anchor on ABC did a piece entitled "Who is Bilderberg?" Do you remember who that was? I have been all over the Murdochs, Carlucci's, Turners, Gates, Eisners and the print propandists like Grahams, WP, the Globe and Times. One by one they fell.
We all know the GE, WESTINGHOUSE, DISNEY, MONSANTO, CARLYLE connections. I despise no one less than the laundry list of major shills including
all 60 minutes reporters, all CNN and Fox talking heads. Obermann is an ass of the highest order and Woodward and Bernstein are a disgrace.
Keeping up with the enemy, I, like you to some degree must continue to watch some of these sell outs. I watched MTP and Crossfire. As just another shill I watched Russert and guests weekly. It wasn't until late the the Valerie Plame situation where I took notice of certain things Russert was doing and decided to investigate further.
Whether he was turning into a rogue or whislteblower is speculative, but clearly if you followed him closely, sometime after 2004, he began to ramp up clearly with all the presidential and legislative figures from both isles. I think he was aware of the effect, he knew the disfavor and heat he would receive and he continued to gain power for this. I believe he was on the path of a Bernstein as was Novak and they both have paid dearly.
Right or Wrong, I am giving him my nod as a breakout journalist and a hero when it costs you your life. I voted for Nader but reality says there is no Perot ever to make a serious run. They won't allow it. Russert played the shill often, but made his mark in other sectors. I often go on gut, John. With all the misinformation and lies, it is sometimes the only means to decide. That's why folks who follow my blog were stunned at the comments I made about Russert.
I will likely comment similarly regarding Robert Novak when he succombs to the cancer they gave him.
Patrick,
ReplyDeleteI agree with your assessment of Tim Russert's career. True, he did screw up big time with respect to the months leading up to America's invasion of the sovereign nation of Iraq - his September 2002 interview with Dick Cheney, where he allowed the Dickster to spout the propaganda without any serious, hard-hitting follow up questions, was a debacle to say the least.
But the accusation that he spent his tenure as host of Meet The Press "lobbing softballs" is far off the mark.
When you have a moment or two, read the eulogy I wrote to Tim a couple of days after he died. It was called, "Sunday Will Never Be The Same". Here's a link:
http://tomdegan.blogspot.com/2008/06/it-really-is-amazing-when-you-think.html
Cheers!
Tom Degan
Thanks Tom. That was a great post. For those who consistently watched the rise of Russert, they may have seen some similarity to the career of Cronkite. Slowly becoming the MC blue collars most trusted man on TV. That is until Russert began to take his incredible work ethic and combine it with some real expose to the Bush League.
ReplyDeleteThanks for reminding me of the David Duke dismantling. Some could say that NBC allowed the gloves come off after 2004 and the MSM media campaign and COMMITTEE had already set in place, the 2008 election.
There were times I had to believe the McCain-Palin ticket was a planned failure to compete with what would ultimately be the next 'Cinderella Story' with Obama.
Clearly, GE had secured the continued WOT with Obama long before the two year campain cycle we suffered through. Russerts Catholism, Military views, Patriotism and history with Moynihan and Big Russ likely made him able to play the game but never compromise his integrity.
It really brings me to conclude that if Russert was targeted as dangerous, it was by Zionist, Fabian, Russian, Socialist NWO concerns. If Russert was the investigator and immaculate researcher that was indicated, he should have had to start concluding the same thing we COTO have come to see. This dirty bird has two wings.
The questions and theories I have run over and over again are why then did he have the thrombosis at that time. He was as healthy as a man could be in his situation. He had a great doctor who was provided diet, execise and limited drug regime. He was very happy at the time of the episode with family trip, his son Luke and the long awaited Papal visit. Cheney lives and he is a nightmare cardiac case.
I had to conclude he was less a threat to the Bush League and much more a concern to the Obama-Clinton cartel. The Fabian Socialist's have a far better international hit team than even Cheney.
There are still some folks in DC and MSM who are enablers and not administrators. They are workers who likely remain unaware of the underbelly of the 40. What I would give to have been privy to the discussions and happenings during the trip to Italy and the plans Russert had for the coming series of MTP.
Rather, Brokaw, Wallace, Couric, Gibson, Williams and Smith are shoe shiners.