Remembering Russert: Rick Sanchez’s Tribute

CNN anchor Rick Sanchez delivered a rather interesting tribute to NBC’s Tim Russert Saturday night:

Welcome back. I’m Rick Sanchez. Before we go, one more thing on Tim Russert — something I’ve never told anyone except my wife. This is personal. Many years ago before CNN, I went to work at MSNBC from local television. I wasn’t ready. And for the most part, I kind of stunk up the joint. I mean, I really wasn’t very good and I was scared. I felt like I wasn’t fitting in. What’s worse, I had to debrief people that I was intimidated by Tom Brokaw, Chris Matthews, Brian Williams and Tim Russert. Brokaw, Williams and Matthews, pretty much let me know that I didn’t belong. And listen, this is not something I can hold against these guys because they were right. Then there is Tim Russert. Never once did he ever give me a disparaging look. To the contrary, he went out of his way to always help me on the air and off the air. I’m not scared anymore. Not at all. You know, I’ve heard hundreds of people say over the last 24 hours that Tim Russert was different from everybody else. They’re right.

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