Tim Russert

MANIFESTO

While I know it's impolite to speak ill of the dead, I can't help remembering this little episode wherein it became clear that NBC's Washington bureau chief was hiding what he knew regarding the unmasking of a covert CIA agent. Throughout that debacle, it was clear that said bureau chief would go to any lengths (short of serving time in jail) to shield the administration sources he'd cultivated so assiduously. This was representative of how the media let the US citizenry down in the last eight years by being more concerned with protecting their pals than presenting the truth when high crimes and misdemeanors were being perpetrated.

So while "any man's death diminishes me," I certainly won't miss the reporting strategies represented by Little Russ.

UPDATE — Atrios discusses Little Russ's death here.