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As the curtain closes on the presidency of George W. Bush, the one loose end dangling is the pardon of I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby. In 2007 Mr. Libby, Vice President Dick Cheney's chief of staff, was convicted for perjury and obstruction of justice. Let us be clear about the Bush legacy. After September 11, not a year into Mr. Bush's term, his became a war presidency. George Bush's place in history will turn on what becomes of Iraq and al Qaeda. If Iraq fails, history will mark down the Bush presidency. If by fits and starts Iraq grows into the...

<p>NEW YORK — NBC News reporter Luke Russert said he made a "dumb" misstatement on the "Today" show Wednesday when he suggested that smart people supported Barack Obama for president.</p> <p>Almost immediately, Russert took a hazing in the Web world. Wrote Tim Graham of the conservative Media Research Center on the NewsBusters blog: "Out of the mouths of young, untrained reporters come the unspoken beliefs of the liberal media."</p>

Tim Russert was an American. I'm not using the term in its patriotic sense, although he certainly was not just a patriot but an unabashed one at that. No, Tim Russert was an American in that very particular fashion that makes Americans the most distinctive breed of humans on the planet. He was an American in precisely the cultural sense that causes European elites -- and all too frequently our own -- to grind their teeth and look down their noses with such haughty disdain at the one population on earth composed of the entire world's rejects, refugees and descendants...

NBC anchor Brian Williams will be the first to fill in for Tim Russert as the host for "Meet the Press" this Sunday, the network said today. Russert died suddenly last week of cardiac arrest. After Williams, several different NBC news personalities are expected to rotate as the host of the Sunday morning interview show until a permanent replacement is named - sometime later this year or early next.

Tim Russert / Archbishop George Niederauer Washington DC, Jun 18, 2008 / 04:11 am (CNA).- Archbishop George H. Niederauer of San Francisco, chairman of the U.S. bishops' Communications Committee, the late Tim Russert on Tuesday for his devotion to his Catholic faith, family, work as a journalist and his work with Catholic charities."Russert was valued by Americans for his tremendous command of the political and electoral process and his commitment to discovering each aspect of the story that contributed to people having a better awareness of the issues of public life and candidates for political office," Archbishop Niederauer said....

I'm not sure why everyone is so surprised that the media elevates one of their own--who did an okay job, but nothing heroic--to hero status. The minute I heard, on Friday, that "Meet The Press" host Tim Russert died, I knew that we would be in for non-stop, around-the-clock, overboard coverage.

If the truth be told (and I’m about to tell you the truth based on an encounter I had last year), the late great Tim Russert scared the established politicos to death. Amidst the accolades coming from the Republican and Democratic leaders following his heart attack on Friday, the fact is that Russert was the toughest interrogator in the media. He was a modern-day Howard Cosell (without the bravado), and for the top brass, he was too intimidating. Ever wonder why Russert was never asked to be the moderator of the presidential debates? I wondered the same question, and luckily,...

Commentary Editor's Note: During the next week, RFFM.org will do a series of columns on the state of journalism in America today. We will look into the failures of the dominant media and the lack of adherence to journalistic integrity on the Internet. The profession of journalism truly lost one of its most distinguished representatives with the sudden death of Tim Russert. The host of NBC's Meet The Press had developed into one of the best interviewers in the dominant media and the profession cannot afford to lose such individuals who ply their trade with dignity and pride. However, the...

TV will be turned to a different channel this weekend.

President & Mrs. Bush met today with Pope Benedict XVI at The Vatican. The pope treated the president to a rare tour of the Vatican Gardens, a spot where popes pray privately and only special guests are allowed to stroll. First Lady Laura Bush toured the Mattei Palace in Rome and met there with students in the American Study Center. The first couple then boarded Air Force One and traveled to Paris, France. During the flight, Mrs. Bush participated in a rare press gaggle with reporters on the plane. “Hey everybody, how are you all? Good to see you.” (Transcript)...

Commentary OK. I'll acknowledge this. Tim Russert, the host of NBC's Meet the Press, has developed into a good journalist. But just a few years ago, it would be easy to say Russert's roots were showing and I'm not talking about hair color. You see, before suddenly becoming a journalist, Tim Russert worked as a political hack for the Democratic Party. Russert was a former counselor to Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan, and New York Governor Mario Cuomo after that, before being hired by NBC in 1984. It's clear to anyone who watches Russert today he has come a long way....

Video here.

If Hillary Clinton's latest gambit--floating Obama as her VP--had been a play rather than a ploy, and the Today crew the theater critics, they would have left at intermission to begin penning a blistering pan. Interviewing Tim Russert, Matt Lauer kicked off the kicking around of Hillary's idea. MATT LAUER: Let's talk about this idea. Is it being floated seriously? Is this light-hearted, and who's behind it? TIM RUSSERT: Well the Clintons are behind it, and New York Daily News columnist Michael Goodwin said today that he talked to a Clintonista who said it's an attempt to belittle Barack Obama,...

Tim Russert: "Will you run in 2008?" Hillary Clinton: "I have no plans to run for president"--NBC's "Meet the Press," 9/15/02 Really? According to a prominent supporter and Arkansan who's known her a long time, Hillary's apparently always had her sights set on the Oval Office. Retired General Wesley Clark, a member of Team Hillary, appeared on today's Morning Joe and had this exchange with host Joe Scarborough. View video here.

Tim Russert isn't practicing his Christmas tree-ornament hanging technique. The Meet the Press host is demonstrating how John McCain is dangling the VP slot to Mike Huckabee. And Huck seems as transfixed as a hound before a bone, judging by the way he's staying in the race against all odds and spending his time taking shots at Mitt Romney. Russert was a guest during the 7 AM half-hour of Morning Joe. View video here.

"Bedford, NH, January 7, 2008: John and Elizabeth Edwards attended a house party at the home of Peter and Joanne Smith, in Bedford, NH. They were joined by actors Susan Sarandon, Tim Robbins and James Denton. Also joining them at the house party were Hilda, Grigort and Bedig Sarkisyan, the family of Nataline Sarkisyan, the 17 year old who died as a result of being denied a liver transplant by Cigma, a health insurance company. John Edwards answered questions from voters and media."

You don't suppose NewsBusters has become Matt Lauer's guilty pleasure; one having a salubrious effect on his thinking? The Today co-anchor this morning suggested an MSM double-standard on the Dem and GOP races and acknowledged the success of the surge. Matt's guest on Today was Tim Russert, impressively fresh after red-eyeing to NYC after moderating last night's Nevada debate. Lauer, after playing clips of the candidates' take on Iraq, suggested that the war is no longer the winning issue the Dems once thought it was. MATT LAUER: How much of a tightrope are they walking with the apparent success of...

~excerpt~ MR. RUSSERT: You say you've been deeply involved in the eight years of the Clinton administration. One of the powers given to a president is the power of pardon. At the end of the president's second term, he granted 140 pardons, including one to Marc Rich, someone who had been convicted of tax evasion, fraud and making illegal oil deals with Iran. Were you involved in that pardon? SEN. CLINTON: No. I didn't know anything about that. MR. RUSSERT: No one talked to you whatsoever? SEN. CLINTON: No. No. Unh-unh. MR. RUSSERT: His ex-wife gave $109,000 to your campaign....

Hillary Clinton, infamous for her refusal to face tough media interviewers, is boycotting the news program hosted by the toughest questioner of all: NBC's Tim Russert. In a panel discussion with political consultant Mike Murphy during Sunday's "Meet The Press," Russert revealed that Clinton is ducking an appearance on his show. Said Russert: "Last week we had Barack Obama and Mike Huckabee on 'Meet the Press.' This week we had John McCain. We invited Senator Clinton, she declined our invitation. Doing very few media interviews. I am told she might be doing 'Access Hollywood' on Monday." Murphy commented: "Yeah, I...