Former Boss Remembers a Reluctant TV Star I~~=::G
Former boss remembers areluctant TV star I~~=::g
ne1N, long-term contract with NBC, ~ NBC devoted Sunday's entire Russert had to be he called me up to tell me, and he Meet the Press to honoring the remembered his reluctance about man wh,p made the show the top told: 'You should taking the job. He laughed, and he venue for newsmakers and view said: "I thank you. My wife thanks ers. It opened on Tim Russert's be on the air' you. My son thanks you. And my empty chair on an empty set. Then unborn grandchildren, however host Tom Brokaw and friends and By Michael Gartner many there will be, thank you." colleagues held forth for an hour of Special for USA TODAY But no matter how rich and reminiscences. famous he became, he always ''Tim has a very large wooden Tim Russert didn't want to be on came across on TV as a nice guy sign in his office," Brokaw said, television. who couldn't like a guy who loved "and it's going to be our mantra for He was a senior executive - an Buffalo and who wished his dad this morning. It says, 'Thou Shall inside guy, a go-to guy, an idea guy Happy Father's Day on the air? Not Whine.' And if Ican add any - when I joined NBC News as but he was more than nice. He was thing to that, 'Thou shall not weep president in 1988. He had a back kind, he was caring, and he was or cry this morning,' " a rule that ground in politics, and d few generous. waS skirted several times. Funny months after· I signed on, I asked stories were shared and clips aired, him to head the Washington bu Agood deal such as a salute to Russert's on-air reau. He didn't want to leave New rooting for Buffalo teams. "He was York and thouWit he was being Afew years ago, Icalled him and beyond shameless," Brokaw said. shoved aside, but he very reluctant asked if he'd make a big speech in Things got emotional when Do lyagreed. . Des Moines, where I live. It was ris Kearns Goodwin said Russert In Washington, he quickly re part of a leeture series at Drake had told her that if his life ended established old contacts - he had University. I knew he was in great early, his only re~et would be worked for Sen. Daniel Patrick demand, I said, but I asked if he'd missing seeing his son grow up. Moynihan, and he seemed to know do it as a favor for me. "They'll pay Brokaw broke down while discuss half the town - and increasingly you $30,000," I added He didn't ing Russert's love of his country. the morning news conferences at think twice. "I'll do it under one "The question I'm most often ~ NBC were filled with his inside sto condition," he said. "The $30,000 asked about lflffi is, 'Is he really as ries of this, his analyses of that and goes to that program for kids that is good a guy as he looks like?' " his predictions of this and that. Reuters Christopher's memorial." James Carville said. ''The truth is, He was always right. Silent memorial: Tim Russert's chair was empty on Sunday's Meet the Press. Russert, 58, died Friday. Christopher was one of my sons, he was a better guy." ''Tim,'' I said to him one day a and he idolized Tim. Christopher ~ fox News Sunday signed off year or so later, "the I'lews call isn't looking for a handsome guy, I'm from his father had instilled his val died in 1994, at age 17, from an ini with a montage to Russert's legacy. supposed to be more interesting 100kiIw; for a smart one." . About the author ues, his life in politics had widened tial attack of juvenile diabetes. "He reinvented Sunday morning than the news shows. We've got to Finally, he agreed, and in 1991 he his knowledge, and his training as ~ Ihad left NBC by then, but within talk shows," host Chris Wallace get across on the air the stuffyou're became moderator of the show. I Michael lawyer had honed his questioning. hours of Christopher's death the said, "and he had an authority and telling us every morning. You had some sweatshirts made up Gartner was The show was almost an over phone rang at home in Des Moines. insight in covering politics that the president of should be on the air." with his picture on the front. "Tim NBC News night success, and soon we It was Russert. Iwas in tears, and he rest of us could only aspire to." "No way," he said. Russert," they said, "Not just a from 1988 to expanded it to a full hour. Then he seemed to be, too. He expressed ~ On CBS' face the Nation, host Eventually, he agreed to go on pretty face." He was, eventually, 1993. He is a - and it - took off. his deep sorrow, and then he said: Bob Schieffer, speaking on air from the Today show periodically to talk amused. former news He used old-fashioned tools in a "Look, ifGod had come to you 17 Paris, said, "In our business you politics. But Russert remained executive new-fashioned industry. He used a years ago and said, 'I'll make you a know which ofyour colleagues do mainly an inside guy, an unseen He was made for the job with Gannett chalkboard like a coach. He put bargain. I'll give you a beautiful, their own work, and you know Co. Inc., pub face, a choreographer of coverage. USA TODAY lisherofUSA words - words, of all things! - on wonderful, happy and healthy kid which ones don't. And somehow Finally, Itold him he should be Afew others at NBC complained TODAY. the screen to make his point. He for 17 years, and then I'll take him the public has a way of figuring had to be - the moderator of Meet that Russert didn't deserve the job. was as tough as he was fair, as de away,' you would have matle that that out as well." the Press, which wasn't doing well. My response to all was the same: manding ofhimselfas he was ofhis deal in a second." ~ On ABC's This Week, George "No way," he said again. Russert will be great, and, besides, Electric, called me and applauded guests. He prepared for each show He was right, of course. That was Stephanopoulos led with a tribute We argued. We debated. We the show isn't doing that well, so the decision - and no't just because as if it were a final exam. the deal. Ijust didn't know it. to Russert, in which he recalled fought. He raised objections, I shot what do we have to lose? he, too, was a smart and savvy Most of all, he was believable. As it turns out, there was a simi facing Russert's heat as an adviser them down. It helped that my boss, NBC Irishman who wasn't going to win That face turned out to be what my lar deal - the terms were 58 years to President Clinton. "It was a chal At the end, he said, "Look, Ican't president Bob Wright, liked the any Hollywood screen tests. It father called "an affidavit face." You with Tim. lenge to sit across that table from do it. I'm ugly." idea. Dick Ebersol, the head of NBC didn't hurt to have those three looked at him, and you just knew We just didn't know it. Tlffi. ... Making the powerful 'Well," I said with a laugh, "I Sports and a friend whose judg guys in my corner. he was telling you the truth. But we - his family, his friends, squirm was his duty. But he tried to can't argue that one (he had a ment I valued then and now, also Russert was made for the job. The show made him rich and his guests and his viewers, all of us do it, almost all.'ays, with a smile." chubby face that looked like it was encouraged me. And Jack Welch, His training from the Jesuits had famous. Idon't know how rich, but so enriched by him - would have made out of Play-Doh), but I'm not then head of NBC's parent, General sharpened his mind, his lessons a few years ago, when he signed a made it in a second. USA TODAY staff reports