“Tim Russert called me with more bad news: the second wave of exit polls was holding for Bradley. We were going to lose. What were we going to do? I could hear the excitment in his voice — not because he was against Gore but because he loves a good political fight.”

–From page 324 of Bob Shrum‘s new book “No Excuses.”

To a casual reader, it sounds like Russert gives political operatives exit polling data, then interviews them on Meet the Press.
It’s not the first time. Howard Kurtz described Russert giving exit polling data to McCain strategist Mike Murphy in 2000.

On Sunday, both Shrum and Murphy are on Meet the Press…