Tim Russert was probably the most successful newsman of his era, but more importantly he was a nice person!
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Shortly after Of Thee I Speak was released my book distributor arranged for me to appear at Book Expo at May 2006 where hundreds of authors give away promotional copies of their new or soon-to-be-released books. Most of us were unknowns, but several were famous--Bob Newhart, Newt Gingrich, George McGovern, Patricia Neal, William Bennett, and Kaye Ballard were among the many well-known people there promoting there books.
Tim Russert was giving away copies of his second work Wisdom of Our Fathers and there was a long line of people waiting to have him autograph a brand new copy of his title. Initially, I passed by the line since I was neutral toward Meet the Press' host; I had virtually no opinion of him at all. Then, I recalled hearing my elderly former pastor--still friendly with my parents--discussing Russert's first Book Big Russ and Me some time ago and how he praised that work. It wouldn't kill me to waste a chunk of time so I got in line for an autographed copy of the book that I could give to the nonagenarian who had baptized me.
Due to the lengthy line, he could not personalize books and he could not chat very long with any one person. As I finally winded my way up the table, Tim Russert smiled, signed a copy, and handed it to me as I said "Tim, I'm going to give this book to a 95-year old priest who loved your first one." He took the book back out of my hands and asked "what's his name" so that he could personalize it--perhaps
the only book in that session that received such a distinction.
I greatly appreciated his thoughtfulness and never suspected that just a few years later, he'd be gone at 58 and that priest would be approaching his 98th birthday.
Tim Russert was probably the most successful newsman of his era, but more importantly he was a nice person!
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