Tim Russert Memorial: Videos And Details

Updated:

Watch Tom Brokaw's speech at Tim Russert's memorial.

Watch Al Hunt's speech at Tim Russert's memorial.

Watch Betsy Fischer's speech at Tim Russert's memorial.

Watch Sister Lucille's speech at Tim Russert's memorial.

Watch Mario Cuomo's speech at Tim Russert's memorial.

Watch Mike Barnicle's speech at Tim Russert's memorial.

Watch Brian Williams' speech at Tim Russert's memorial.

Watch Maria Shriver's speech at Tim Russert's memorial.

Watch Doris Kearns Goodwin's speech at Tim Russert's memorial.

Watch Luke Russert's speech at Tim Russert's memorial.

Watch Bruce Springsteen's surprise performance at Tim Russert's memorial.

Updated June 17, 2008: Via Michael Calderone at Politico.com, the details of Russert's memorial program at the Kennedy Center on Wednesday:

Entrance Music from Tim's iPod, Honor Guard, The National Anthem

Remembrances: Tom Brokaw, Betsy Fischer, Sister Lucille Socciarelli, Al Hunt, Governor Mario Cuomo, Mike Barnicle, Maria Shriver, Brian Williams, Doris Kearns Goodwin, Luke Russert.

A Musical Tribute by Tony Scozzaro, Tim's brother-in-law

Earlier: Mark Halperin Reports at his blog The Page that NBC News has announced the details for Tim Russert's memorial service:

MEDIA ADVISORY: MEMORIAL INFORMATION FOR TIM RUSSERT NEW YORK - June 16, 2008 - Following is information on wake and memorial services for NBC News' Tim Russert:

PUBLIC VIEWING INFORMATION

The wake will be held Tuesday, June 17, from 2-9 p.m., St. Albans
School, Cafritz Refectory, Mount St. Alban, Massachusetts & Wisconsin
Avenues, NW, Washington, D.C. 20016.

NBC News will provide pool coverage available on the DC pool switch in
D.C. from 2-9 p.m. on Tuesday. NBC News will also release still
photographs of the event at www.nbcmv.com. This will be the
only media coverage inside the Refectory.

Comments

[joshrox]

Enough already, the man is gone, let him rest in peace, move on!

[MizLiz]

I think we're so shocked because we took it for granted that he would always be there. Nobody else could make a politician squirm like he could. I just automatically turned on the TV Sunday mornings to see his show......what will "Meet the Press" be like now?

[marymansour]

There will be no more Tim Russerts in this particular crop of anchors and journalists. He ranks with the greats like Cronkite, Brokaw, Huntley and Brinkley.

[MizLiz]

Election night will not be the same without all of the above. Oh yeah, I loved Huntley & Brinkley. Great theme song.

[NoSillyName]

You haters are just jealous because no one will care when you die.

But you can rejoice, after the man is buried, this will start to fade away.

Some people have no empathy. Russert's death was a big shock. He was very well loved. Its only been a few days. Its almost over. Deal with it.

[rwhiteside]

It's getting coverage for the simple reason that we see our own mortality. He was struck down in the absolute prime of his life. People see themselves in this, it's like a mirror. Especially people who have kids and love them like he loved his kid. He was 58, doing what he loved, in the best season of his adult lifetime.

It's very powerful, and the fact that he was so loved makes us question how we'd be mourned.

No wonder it's so powerful.

Plus, if he is the force behind NBC news, lord help us if he's gone! NBC and especially MSNBC, is the last weak crumbling free press defense against the absolute nightmare of a corporate media. It's the closest thing we have to actual news, the only thing standing between us and a totalitarian world where we are but deckhands on the deathstar.

[eladora]

kudos to this comment.

[w&cheneysuck]

Nicely stated! Thanks..

[conniedogs]

If you're gonna whine about the coverage.....turn the channel and don't read the articles. Personally I'm grateful for the coverage MSNBC has given to Mr. Russert. I enjoyed his program and valued his political insight. He obviously had a host of friends and admirers. May God bless his family and give them peace.

[pilgrim7]

My sentiments exactly, Conniedogs.

Masochism: A willingness or tendency to subject oneself to unpleasant or trying experiences.

[ratcityreprobate]

Enough already with the eulogizing of Russert. You would think he was the King of America, the Pope or something with all the caterwauling going on. He will not be remembered as a great American journalist. He was no Eric Sevareid, Walter Lippmann or Edward R. Murrow. NBC is wringing the poor man's death out to maximize viewers and ad revenues.

[XME]

Obviously there are a LOT of people out there who disagree. And it's not just about the "journalist", it's about the man. He could be the best journalist ever, but he wasn't a good man, he wouldn't be getting all the eulogizing!

[TRichards]

That he was likeable is not in dispute. As for his journalism, it seldom went beyond the horse-race view of politics. On policy (other than economics), Russert fell short. Part of that was from the love of the "regular folk" image he valued so deeply. That love had Russert repeating the party line beyond where common-man "patriotism" should have trumped by what MUST be a great journalist's first professional loyalty: the truth.

Russert too often valued his personal loyalties and popularity over the truth when there was a conflict among them. Or, perhaps it would be fairer (i.e., more accurate) to say that he favored his belief in the goodness of politicians over the evidence that an administration could be duplicitous and, let's say it as it is, evil.

That said, I'll miss him and his ability to herd his guests into corrals built by their own rhetoric. Nobody did that better.

What I did not know about Russert was the extent to which he was a mentor and encourager at NBC and MS/NBC. He may have had much to do with NBC's retaining a news organization while CBS continues to shrink its own.

The fact that so many who knew him well are so saddened and grief-stricken speaks volume about Russert the man. It will be interesting to see whether NBC continues on or turns into CBS after the Russert era comes to a close.

[SweetAngie]

You don't get it . . .

he was the King of America.

[pmorlan]

I thought Bush was the King of America?

[GeorgeKaplan]

This is a really heartless post. This is pure 100% mean and childish rubbish. But having said that you clearly have no idea of what you are saying... Absolutely none at all.

[pithy]

I agree completely - he wasn't the Pope, for heaven's sake!

I actually find it sort of frightening, because there's some REALITY missing here. Russert was a nice man who loved his family, but he soft-balled a lot of really, really important stuff that Americans should have known about before our sons and daughters were sent to war.

He loved the "horse race" of it all - but politicians, who have the ability to determine life or death (Iraq, Katrina, etc.) should be much more than contestants willing to say or do anything for a prized position of power.

Making Mr. Russert into a hero truly defies reality, IMHO.

[spyboyz]

That's true he wasn't the Pope, He didn't sit idly by and allow thousands of children to be molested by by his followers. The Popes coverage was truly over the top. Tim Russert deserves all the accolades he's getting and more.

[lippp]

Thank you for having the courage to state the obvious. Mr. Russert was clearly a likeble, articulate and intelligent man who sadly died an early death. But he is not a saint or leader of the free world. Enough is enough. And to those who say don't watch, that is almost impossible as it is over all the cable and commercial channels. In the meantime all hell is potentially breaking loose in Irag and McCain is trying to pull the wool over the public's eye with offshore drilling. So let Russert's family mourn privately and take all the time they need. We, the general public, need to get on with our lives and understanding the issues affecting our lives.

[pilgrim7]

I think it has more to do with the shock of his sudden death in the prime of his life. To top it off, Tim was basically a good man despite his faults. How rare is that? It would probably be the same if Bill O'Reilly died suddenly. (On second thought, maybe not.) I voted Republican a few times too many, not to mention other worse indiscretions I made in life. I hope in the end, like Tim, my good outweighs my bad. To news junkies, Tim Russert was undeniably the king of news. I believe that's why his death is getting so much well-deserved coverage.

[Grulg]

You, of course, are FREE to go elsewheres and watch 24/7 coverage of Britney, Amy Winehouse, Lindsey, and George Clooney. You Also, of course, can go and read up on Stan Winston who also died here of late, he was worth knowing about, too.

Let those who wish to mourn and eulogize do so in peace. It's not like you have any say whatsoever.

[debrab]

We miss you Tim. Thank you for sharing your joy, curiosity and love of truth.

[bushitler]

It is sad that Tim is dead--he was a lovable hard-working guy, I'm sure. This may sound callous, but the media is completely supersaturating us with gush. This guy is getting more press coverage than Princess Diana, and people are making him out to be more saintly than Jesus. Yes, he was lovable and he is dead. But do we need 3 days of relentless coverage? Some coverage is understandable, but reporters repeat the same gushing sentiments repeatedly. I have never seen the media so self-centered/self-obsessed! How many other people who died got this much coverage? What about our soldiers in Iraq? No news organization spends 3 days on covering their lives. There is so much news to report--we don't need to watch news reporters talk about news reporters because no offense, but after a certain point, there is no news in reporter gushing.

[EddieMcWords]

You know what? I'd like to think he'd agree with this.

[SweetAngie]

You don't get it.

[GeorgeKaplan]

Pure filth!

[Melissa]

If you don't like the coverage turn to another channel.

[Grulg]

Go watch Welcome Back Kotter repeats-you'll be MUCH better off.