Posted on 06/14/2008 1:01:19 PM PDT by HokieMom
HAMPTON, Va. (AP) - If not for "Meet The Press" and its host, Tim Russert, Jim Webb figures he may not be a United States senator.
And a debate moderated by the NBC newsman who died Friday was a turning point in Democrat Timothy M. Kaine's campaign for governor.
Both candidates fondly recalled Russert on Saturday at the Virginia Democratic Convention and acknowledged his role in pivotal moments in their 2005 and 2006 campaigns.
Webb said his September 2006 appearance alongside Republican Sen. George Allen on "Meet The Press" was the turning point in his narrow, come-from-behind victory over Allen _ not Allen's use of the word "macaca" as he pointed out a Webb aide of Indian descent at an August campaign event.
"Because of the way he conducts the show, he was able to get myself and George Allen side-by-side and ask us a whole series of penetrating questions _ hard questions for both of us," Webb said in an interview.
Within 24 hours after the nationally televised "Meet The Press" appearance, Webb said, $150,000 in unsolicited Internet contributions poured into his cash-starved campaign.
Since Webb's election, Russert brought him back onto his signature Sunday morning newsmakers forum, the longest-running show on network television, Webb said.
"I've been interviewed by hundreds and hundreds of people over the years and he was in the top three of anyone I've ever been interviewed by," Webb said.
One year earlier, Kaine's campaign got a major lift when his Republican opponent, Jerry Kilgore, stumbled badly under Russert's relentless questioning about his position on abortion.
Russert was moderator for the annual Fairfax County Chamber of Commerce debate in September 2005, and he was pressing Kilgore on whether he would sign legislation outlawing abortion if the U.S. Supreme Court struck down its 1973 Roe v. Wade decision. Kilgore refused a yes-or-no answer to what he called a hypothetical question.
Russert persisted, asking Kilgore what he'd do if the General Assembly approved a tax increase.
"I would veto it," Kilgore replied.
"That's a hypothetical question," Russert interjected as a crowd of about 500 business leaders broke into laughter at Kilgore's expense.
Kilgore's campaign continued to lose ground, and Kaine defeated him by about 6 percentage points.
"That debate was a political moment," said Kaine, who recalled being "star-stuck" at meeting Russert that day.
"He really went after me on some death penalty issues and then he turned to Jerry on Roe v. Wade, and as he set up his set of hypotheticals, I could kind of see where it was going," Kaine said, still recalling the moment with a laugh.
Dream on MSM.
We voted in the democrat primary for Obambi because McCain had locked it up and we wanted Hillary out of the race.
Virginia is open primary.
McCain ‘08
bump
Well, Russert used to work for DPM and them Gov. Cuomo, both liberal Democrats, so of course he was “biased”, even if he usually tried not to let it show.
Didn't you know, you're not allowed to make honest comments here.
Do you feel the same way about Republican politicians? Or are you one of those people who wish the Republicans would get tough with their words? Fight back? Get down and dirty? FR rules say no profanity and no threats or suggestions of violence. It doesn't say anything about being honest, or in your words, being crass.
Just my opinion...
I keep hearing commentators eulogize Russert by saying how “fair” he was. All I can say is “that is not the Tim Russert that I knew.”
I could tell if he was interviewing a dem or a GOP with the sound turned off, just by his facial expressions.
He was Mr smileyface for dems, and the model for the frowny YUK symbol that is placed on poison containers for Republicans (except McCain!).
I posted my reply before I read yours. LOL!
Agreed. Allen should have known that type of humor was off limits. Such a shame to lose his vote in the Senate.
Honestly, did you or anyone you know ever hear the word “macaca” before the Allen flap blew up?
I think he did not respond well because he could see no way to defend against nothing.
Ditto
Right you are~ That wasn’t just Russert, though, it was all the media including Fox News which disgusted me. Over and over, macaca, macaca, and they also did the same hammering of Dean over his enthusiastic yelling in the Dem primaries the year or two before. The media can use their repetitive rebukes to the point a candidate has no chance. Not that I have much sympathy for Dean not being a dem, but the observation still is valid.
Totally agree. I remember Russert appearing on The Today Show during President Bush’s run for the White House. He and Katy were just so excited about the outcome of some of the polls. Made me sick. I am sorry he died, sorry for his family but I did not like his politics. Sorry!
I don’t care, don’t watch the show.
A lot of people do, and unfortunately it will influence their vote on election day. Mainstreaming Olberman or Matthews hosting MTP is a scary thought.
If you really believe any of that crap about George Allen then you are incredibley naive.
Yes, he stuck his foot in his mouth. But once that happened he got incredibly bad campaign advice from his campaign, most notably Dick Wadhams. I've known George Allen for over 20 years. Have followed his every campaign and am very well acquainted with many of his key advisors.
The 2006 Allen campaign was not the George Allen we'd seen in the previous 20 years, and the difference was Dick Wadhams. And that shows up in the point that Wadhams came out and trashed Allen following the campaign.
Combine that with the relentless pursuit of the macaca non-story by the Washington Post, and the relentless attemps to brand Allen a racist through manufactured stories, all the time ignoring Jim Webb's love afair with the Confederacy, and you have George Allen losing by 9,000 votes...on a night when Republicans were losing across the country.
< /soapbox>
I heard that Russert died!!!
1) Sorry for his sudden death at age 58.
2) Seemed like a nice guy, probably was.
3) Life long Democrat who worked against Repubs.
4) Left leaning journalist who favored Dems in all interviews.
That pretty much sums it up, politically. Not a hero, not a friend to political conservatives.
are you logged in?
Sorry, I forgot the sarcasm tag.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.