Tim Russert leaves a legacy of responsible journalism.

This past Friday those who follow politics and news were shocked to hear of the passing of Tim Russert. He was NBC Bureau Chief and most publicly, moderator of NBC’s Meet the Press. Every Sunday viewers were rewarded with a journalistic style that defied partisanship and ego. Viewers could depend on questioning and reporting with integrity. He was a giant in the industry for a reason, he stood basically alone. It is truly rare in the sports/war analogy world of politics for a journalist to go above the fray and report on how public policy impacted the nation. Demagogues had a very difficult time when they would sit down with Mr. Russert. He would not suffer gladly any parsing of words that was not a direct answer. He demanded accountability out of our elected leaders and policy makers. He will be greatly missed, not so much because of his boisterous personality but because of the hole he will leave in the world of responsible journalism. If those commentators who currently bemoan the loss of this man truly want to honor his memory, then they will do so by asking the tough questions and demanding real answers. If more journalist pick up this gauntlet then perhaps just perhaps, we will not engage in policies that benefit the corporations and the wealthy over the common man. Perhaps we will not engage in a war without provocation or justification. Perhaps we will have a population more informed about the Patriot Act and less informed about Brittany Spears. Only time will tell if someone will fill the void. We could always count on Tim to be a leader in responsible reporting, that white board on election night will be greatly missed. Author: Kevin Clark