Tim Russert Wake Draws President Bush, Thousands Of Mourners

WASHINGTON--Thousands of friends, colleagues and strangers joined President Bush and his wife, Laura, in paying respects on Tuesday to Tim Russert.

Several hundred people were in line more than an hour before the early afternoon start of the wake at St. Albans School, an elite private boys school on the grounds of Washington National Cathedral in Northwest Washington. Many had never met the host of the Sunday-morning talk show "Meet the Press."

But some felt like they knew him, nonetheless.

"It's just like a family member that's gone," said Mary Jo Quinn, who had traveled from Russert's hometown of Buffalo, N.Y., to the Washington area for a wedding over the weekend. She and her husband extended their trip so they could attend the wake.

Watch MSNBC coverage of the wake below:

Russert, who was also the Washington bureau chief for NBC News, died Friday of a heart attack at the age of 58. His son, Luke, is a graduate of the school where the wake was held.

Russert was a political insider who was known for conducting tough interviews of Washington's most powerful politicians, yet he evoked an everyman quality that showed his blue-collar roots.

He often talked of growing up in Buffalo, home to his beloved Bills of the National Football League. He wrote two best-selling books, including the much-loved "Big Russ and Me" about his relationship with his father.

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"He walked with kings but he never forgot his roots," said Quinn, who was standing in line with a Buffalo Bills T-shirt draped over her shoulders. "He put Buffalo on the map. He made Buffalo a cool place."

Bush, accompanied by the first lady, was one of the first people to enter the closed-casket wake, which was scheduled to last seven hours. The president stayed about 20 minutes while the growing crowd outside waited patiently on a pleasant, sunny day.

The crowd was a mix of people in suits and dresses interspersed with a few wearing jeans and shorts--a wake for someone who had touched a wide variety of people.

Joe McGuire said he coached Luke Russert in youth baseball, while Tim Russert was an assistant coach.

McGuire said the proud dad was a big baseball fan and he will remember Russert "laughing, smiling and having a great time."

Rep. Louise Slaughter, a Democrat whose district includes part of the Buffalo area, said the loss is keenly felt in Russert's hometown. Slaughter said she was reminded of Russert's popularity by the wide variety of people in line at the wake.

"There were some from Syracuse, there were nuns from Springfield, Ill., and they all came out and stood in the sun to pay their respects," Slaughter said. "It was just remarkable."

A private funeral was scheduled for Wednesday morning, to be followed by an invitation-only memorial service at Washington's Kennedy Center in the afternoon.

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Associated Press writer Devlin Barrett contributed to this report.

Comments

[Hman]

So 4100 US troops have died in Iraq, and GWB hasn't been to a single one of their funerals, because he doesn't want publicity about troop deaths in his deceitful war. But he has time to go to Russert's funeral and bask in the reflected glory. I have nothing against Russert, but it underscores the hypocritcal, hyper-political nature of the Bush presidency.

[jkh1122]

Many of these people referred to Russert as a "journalists' journalist" and as "the most important person in the Washington media," and it's likely they believed what they were saying. If Russert deserved the title of Washington Journalist of the Era, it sure was a nasty thing to point out about someone whose corpse had yet to cool. Because during Russert's reign as NBC News Washington Bureau Chief and Meet the Press host, about the only thing politicians were held accountable for was one blow job. Other than that, the treasury has been privatized, our country has been marched into two violent quagmires, the rich have gotten richer and the poor have gotten stomped, and the Bill of Rights has been shredded and tossed as confetti at a tickertape parade celebrating jingoism.

My choice to host Meet the Press? Helen Thomas. Now there's a reporter who knows what to ask
and how to follow up until she gets an answer.

[Blurp]

Yes!

[chupacabra]

I don’t want some mom whose son may have recently died to see the Commander-in-Chief going to a civilian's funeral. I feel I owe it to the families to be as — to be in solidarity as best as I can with them. And I think I went to a civilian's funeral during a war just sends the wrong signal.

[AnnArky]

As George gets older he's trying to understand this "mourning" this "grieving" thing and, so, he shows up at Russert's wake, hoping for a glimmer, an insight into what it is to mourn. Alas, poor George doesn't have a clue. George is missing that vital, necessary thing that's needed in order to mourn or grieve, George is missing a conscience and, in his sad case and to the detriment of millions of people around the world, it will always be missing.

[ZimboChick]

Tim you raised a fine man - rest in peace

[dadw5boys]

You have to know Tim would tell Bush to treat him like a U.S. Soldier and don't bother comming.

[letsgetsmart]

I would rather just have someone toss me over board in the ocean then have Bush show up.

[TNT2008]

Poor George! He really must need something to do to fill his time left as a lame duck president! Too bad he hasn't attend EVERY funeral of each troop killed in Iraq. This president is a JOKE with no clue and a stupid grin on his face. I can't even look at him, much less listen to his babble!

[Piccola]

I'll miss you Tim...

[abellofgrace]

I was really stunned when I heard the news of Tim Russert's passing. I really respected his judgement and knowledge. However, it was comforting to hear his son Luke speak of his dad with such pose and strength. Tim Russert imho, was a one of a kind, kind of person. I will miss him.

[onedivasinger]

First of all, all of the pomp is not the fault of Tim Russert. His son already expressed how he would rather hang out, drink beer and tailgate with him and his friends than attend a state dinner. Maybe his family thought this would be a way to pay respect to his legion of fans. That is what you call "manners and class." Stop blaming Tim for all of this. Secondly, I used to get as mad as anyone when I thought he went soft on Bush and other elected people. Then, a funny thing happened during all of the retrospectives over the weekend. I had a chance to look at some of his interviews. The ones with Bush and Cheney were striking. What I didn't see before, when they first aired were how tough he actually was on them. How the look on his face portrayed his problems with their answers. I think he wanted us to see the truth. He hoped that congress would see and do what congress is supposed to do. That wasn't his job alone, that was all of ours. We all have failed the soldiers and ourselves. My faith is sorely tested, but he must have had faith, because he went through that Libby trial that took years off of his life, I am sure. His faith must have allowed him to forgive, because he still worked with people who tried to call him a liar because it was his job!

[erathwomen]

You could always tell that Tim held them in contempt but he behaved professionally all the time. It's sad that this article mentions Bush more than Tim's family. I find it offensive that the article begins by saying that the mourners joined W and his wife, as if they were the hosts of an event or something. W only stayed 20 minutes. He should have come in towards the end, the people leading the wake should have been Tim's family, friends and co-workers.

[4peace]

We all have failed the soldiers and ourselves -

Sorry onedivasinger, I haven't failed the soldiers, bushco and bushco alone have failed the soldiers. bushco includes lots and lots of democrats too, including pelosi and reid. Lets give credit where credit is due and quit blaming the general population for the failures of this supreme court-appointed "administration". Personally, I am sick and tired of the general population being treated like common criminals - whatever happened to innocent until proven guilty. OH, RIGHT, we're in Orwellian territory now, black is white and war is peace, thats what happened to it. Have you traveled lately? Guilty until proven not. Give me a break. Please.

[hawkseye]

I am surprised that the "wake" is being held at an Episcopal school.

[HannibalSilver]

We the people are running the show. Tim never forgot his humble roots, he was and now remains forever one of us, he spoke on our behalf at Meet the Press for 17 years. For his family values and work ethics he would make a wonderful pope, but he was appointed to a greater position as the Meet the Press Priest. He was above most politicians and even presidents. Thank God for his life, books and legacy of journalistic boldness. I love him, because love is power and casts out any fear! The majority of comments to this article is driven by bold love, not by weak sentimentality. We are better people because of Tim Russert!

[tora]

As much as I consider Tim to be the finest journalist in American history, and as much as we viewers have been very saddened by his passing, we have our troops memorial we should be televising instead...

[HannibalSilver]

Tora's position deserves respect. Death is bewildering to many and grief is a personal matter, hence, I encourage space and respect for a broad spectrum of responses to Tim's passing.

[Shaddup]

So I guess Bush is putting off Iowa for tomorrow's photo op.

[gorgol]

From "Countdown" tonight..I understand the funeral of Tim Russert is going to be TELEVISED tomorrow at 4pm.....if this is true...I'd like to say...'ARE YOU KIDDING ME!!!!????" and this is at the request of the family..??
Now...I can say...the MSM has turned Mr. Russerts death into a THREE RING CIRCUS. SHAME!!!!!!!
good GRIEF how many days has this been?? Its just one more example of the insanity that's going on in this country. And we have a MSM that threw out powder puff questions as this country was LIED TO WAR..and that includes MR> RUSSERT..i­ts just unbelievable.

[conniedogs]

DON'T WATCH

[NatteringNabobs]

I'd like it to be televised because I can't be there.

If its ok with his family I'd like to see Tim off for the last time. It may be stupid or a circus to you, but some of us really felt close to Tim even if we never met him. That would be the reason I'd watch.