Terry Cowgill

St. Timmy’s Passing

June 17, 2008 on 11:45 am | In Main, Media, National |

Update 1:30 p.m. Wednesday: After reading this interview, my opinion of Timmy has been raised a notch. Good for him for his willingness to discuss MSM bias without dismissing it as some kooky right-wing grievance.

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To this point, I have resisted commenting on the passing of NBC’s Tim Russert. I have mostly been watching in disbelief as much of the news media heap so much praise on the fallen newsman that you’d think he was the journalistic equivalent of Jesus himself.

I agree with Colin McEnroe. You tend to feel awkward when someone who mostly annoys you kicks the bucket, especially if you’re a writer and get paid to give your assessment of people like Russert.

But mostly I have held back from writing about Russert because I have been waiting for a piece like this. That’s how brave I am. I’m not sure whether it’s OK to speak ill of the dead until someone else does it. But Jack Shafer jumped in first, so here goes.

Here’s what I liked about Russert: his humble beginnings; his passion for journalism and politics; his strong family life; he worked for Pat Moynihan (whom I admired) and; sometimes, the way he ran Meet The Press.

Here’s what I did not like about him: Russert was a slippery player in the Scooter Libby-Valerie Plame imbroglio; he is the very embodiment of the Washington media establishment; and nowhere is the incestuous world of power journalism more on display than in the self-indulgent assumption that the rest of the world cares as much about Russert’s passing as the media do.

Let’s face it: the coverage of his death is more fitting for a head of state than a TV journo. I think Terrence McCarthy got it right on Colin’s blog. It’s likely Russert is rolling his eyes from the grave at the excessive coverage of his passing. Then again, maybe he’s just flashing that wolfish grin …