Intellectual Property Law

Tim Russert, moderator of NBC's agenda-setting Meet The Press Sunday morning political talk show, died at work this afternoon. He was 58.

Talking Points Memo has made video available of Tom Brokaw's announcement, which can be seen below.

Russert was an eloquent and often controversial guide to politics in the United States. His death will  be experienced as an earthquake in the political world, and it will also change the shape of television coverage of the Democratic and Republican national conventions this summer.

Russert's Sunday show was required viewing for everyone in politics. His piquant pronouncements and observations of the presidential race in 2008 were often captured on YouTube and became popular fodder on political blogs. As much as blogs have come to drive the news, Russert's Sunday show would also drive the discussion among activists in the blogosphere.

"Kipzoo," a DailyKos blogger, probably speaks for thousands of his/her peers and political junkies when he writes: "For 12 years, my best friend and I have watched Meet the Press together every Sunday that we could.  All through college while living in Texas, and later when we moved to San Francisco, being the political junkies that we are, we'd watch the show religiously, toke it up and debate politics.  So faithfully we were, we'd call refer to our MTP Sunday mornings as 'Church'. 

How astounding that he'll miss this historical election."

Update: Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean sent out the following statement Friday:

"Today we lost one of the true giants of American journalism and a tremendous public servant.  Tim Russert will be remembered for many things.  A committed family man, devout Catholic, devout sports fan, author, mentor.  A tough interviewer, Tim delivered the news with authority, in a plain-spoken way that made the great issues of our day accessible to everyone.   His love of politics and our country came through in his relentless pursuit of the truth and in the quality of his work as a journalist.  On this sad day, our thoughts and prayers are with his family and loved ones."

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