Morning Reading List, 06.18.08
The above graphic comes from commemorative t-shirts made in Tim Russert‘s honor. More here.
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Good morning Washington.
We’ve got your morning mix of media Muesli after the jump…
Yesterday’s buildings were on the cover of Wilco’s Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, what The Hill’s Michael O’Brien calls “maybe one of the finest albums of the past decade.” Among those who guessed correctly — Jon Meyers, Carrie Foster, Moira Bagley, Associate Press Secretary, Republican National Committee, Scott Galupo, former Romney spokesperson Kevin Madden, Elizabeth Cronen, Sarah Bayer, Adam Rawnsley, Washington Post’s Alexander Baldinger, Shawn Westfall, CQ’s Joe Warminsky and Andrew Satter, Dan Katz, Chief of Staff, Sen. Frank R. Lautenberg, Matthew J. Focht, Esq., Gleason, Flynn, Emig & Fogleman Chartered, John C. Midyette, Matthew Miller, Communications Director, DSCC, Beth Renaldi, Editor, LoyolaPress, Darrien Jackson, Jack Zimmerman, Clear Channel Worldwide, Matthew Kirst, John Taylor, Washington Times, Pete Welsch, Washington Examiner’s Jeff Dufour, American’s Jon Hussey, Bert Caradine, CDW and Edelman’s Craig Brownstein.
It’s the birthday of Jeremy Bronson, Paul McCartney, Roger Ebert, Mike Johanns and Jay Rockefeller.
Thanks to everyone (all 3,000 emails…no kidding) who wrote in with suggestions for the next “Meet” host.
Meet The Press’s website features a tribute: “Remembering Tim Russert”
TVNewser has “Remembering Russert: Factor Tribute” and “Remembering Russert: Rick Sanchez‘s Tribute”
Annie Wagner at The Slog writes, “I’m not betting a cent on it, but it should really be Gwen Ifill. David Gregory would be all right, but Ifill has both an inquisitional style and a likeable, distinctive personality. And she’s really smart. She’d be perfect. If it’s Chris Matthews or Katie Couric, I’m never watching Meet the Press again. (Yes, I know Washington Week sucks, but that’s mostly because of the stupid convention in which reporters are expected to quiz each other. It’s stilted, but it’s not Ifill’s fault.)”
AP’s David Bauder writes, “Still reeling from Tim Russert‘s death, NBC News must now contemplate replacing the man who not only dominated the Sunday morning talk shows, but served as chief political commentator and ran the Washington bureau. … NBC has potential successors to Russert on ‘Meet the Press’ already within the company. The decision has big financial implications, since the show reportedly earns more than $60 million a year in profits with relatively few expenses and often has a waiting list of potential advertisers. A wrong move can provide an opportunity to ABC News’ ‘This Week’ and George Stephanopoulos, which has averaged 2.8 million viewers this year. That’s second to NBC’s 4.17 million, with both networks up from last year during a period of heavy political attention.”
TVNewser Columnist Gail Shister writes, “Remembering Russert: From Buffalo to Big Time”
The Huffington Post reports, “James Carville, Mary Matalin Break Down On Set Over Tim Russert‘s Death”
Debra J. Saunders writes, “If folks in the news business wonder why the public hates us, they should look to the orgy of coverage over the untimely death of NBC TV’s Tim Russert.”
Referring to Russert, Huffington Post’s Rachel Sklar writes, “Last week, I’d meant to expand on it for a top five or ten happiest people, running down the players who always seemed to be relishing their part in this historic campaign season. As always, the non-news-hook post got pushed down the list, and I figured I’d get to it next week. It would wait. As it turned out, it would not.”
TVBarn’s Aaron Barnhart writes, “Tim Russert‘s passing was unwanted and unfortunate, but in at least one respect its timing was impeccable. Russert had his fatal heart attack on a Friday, at the end of a slow political news week, on the second least-watched day of television and the day before the least-watched day of the week. Furthermore, his passing occurred in the middle of June, after the primary season had ended and after the television season had ended. In short, it was a perfect time to observe his life and record his death on TV, because there was nothing much of importance to pre-empt.”
David Ledford writes to colleagues, “Our colleagues in Iowa need help from the tornados and devastating floods that have savaged the prairie. … More than 38,000 have been forced to evacuate, including journalists at The Gazette, KCRG-TV and other news organizations who nonetheless have continued publishing on all platforms. As president of the Associated Press Managing Editors, I would encourage you to make a tax-deductible contribution to these journalists in need. … Newspaper employees in Cedar Rapids, Waterloo, Vinton, Iowa City and
other towns in the flood zone face personal losses. Some employees have had their homes and personal belongings destroyed or severely damaged. You may send tax-deductible checks to Iowa Newspaper Employees Disaster Relief Fund at the Iowa Newspaper Foundation, 319 E. Fifth St., Des Moines, IA 50309, or go to www.inanews.com to make a credit card donation.”
Some more readers weigh in on Russert’s death:
Lise Robertson of Maryland writes, “Heartbroken. A void that can never be filled. A great man, loving husband, son and father. He made politics interesting and understandable for all of us. What I’ll miss the most, I think, are the wonderful smile and gleam in the eye whenever he spoke of his family, his work. his Buffalo. My heartfelt sympathy goes out to his family and many friends.”
“I am so very sorry for your loss. I hope that you find all of the praise, love and support of comfort — I’ve been in tears since Friday. I so admired Mr. Russert — his brilliance, equanimity, fairness and exuberance for his work. I never missed a Sunday and I feel like I’ve lost an uncle (even though we are the same age and faith) — a bookend to my questioning about politics and history. My thoughts and prayers are with the Russert family. And Luke, there is so much of your father in you. You were so impressive on The Today Show and your father is beaming.”
“I was absolutely devastated when I heard the news of Tim’s passing. I have been crying all weekend. I watched all of his election year coverage and my Sunday’s will never be the same. Words cannot describe the emptiness I feel. I lost a friend. My heart goes out to his son and wife as well as the rest of his family and friends. May God bless each of you as I am sure he is holding Tim in his hands.”
“I wish to express my deepest sympathy to the family of Tim Russert. I watched him whenever I could. My day wasn’t complete news wise, unless I heard a commentary from Tim. I knew he would get it right.!!! I was so saddened and shocked when I heard the news.. His wife, son and friends. and all of us (was his family) will miss him terribly. I pray for their strength to get through this tough time. We all have to trave this road.. some sooner, and shockingly, unannounced departure. May God keep you in his care.. He ask the necessary questions, that at times got a straight answer and some couldn’t or didn’t want to give a straight answer, he was great.. I am a young black women who loves the truth and can tell when someone is for real, and who is not. Tim Russert was for real.. what a wonderul person to be added to the heavens.”
“I think it’s worth remembering that ‘Meet the Press’ has been on since 1947 (on radio before that), for most of that time with a completely different format from the one Tim Russert had. Over most of its run, the program’s ‘moderator’ did just that — moderate a discussion between a guest and a panel of reporters — the ‘Press’ the guest was actually ‘Meeting.’ I think NBC would be wise to return to that format now, with a panel of rotating journalistic all-stars to question the guests each week. Will it have Tim’s warmth? No. Will it appear to be a murder board? Maybe. But it will be good television, and presumably, good journalism. MTP doesn’t need one host. Let it again be ‘America’s press conference of the air.’”
Your next pick for the next “Meet” host is a dead heat between Chuck Todd, Gwen Ifill and Tom Brokaw.
A reader writes, “How pissed was The Atlantic’s Ross Douthat that his review of ‘Sex and the City’ in National Review’s June 30 issue appeared across from an ad for a self-wiping toilet for 500-lb people? The headline read ‘Having Trouble Wiping?’ Check it- page 53″
Today’s “Angry Journalist” rant of the day: “i’m angry because anyone with a keyboard and an internet connection thinks they can call themself a journalist.”
Check out today’s White House Photo of the Day from Time.
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