Bush Signs “Russert Highway” Into Law
EmailABC News’ Matt Jaffe reports: President Bush Wednesday signed a law designating a stretch of Route 20A in upstate New York as "Timothy J. Russert Highway," in honor of the late NBC News journalist.
Tim Russert, NBC’s Washington Bureau Chief and host of their Sunday interview program "Meet the Press," died of a heart attack on June 13.
The portion of Route 20A that will bear his name is located in Orchard Park, New York, just outside of Buffalo, Russert’s hometown. The road is near Ralph Wilson Stadium, home of the NFL’s Buffalo Bills, Russert’s favorite football team. Russert would sometimes end his show by shouting, "Go Bills!"
The legislation to re-name the road was introduced on Capitol Hill by New York Senators Hillary Clinton and Chuck Schumer.
"Throughout his years in Washington he remained true to his roots, and more often than not on Sunday mornings during the football season he proclaimed his love for the Bills to a national audience as he signed off of ‘Meet the Press’," said Clinton in a statement after the bill passed the House and Senate earlier this month. "When people drive through what will be the Timothy J. Russert Highway, I hope they are reminded of the man who always cheered on his hometown team."
Schumer, Clinton’s fellow Democratic Senator from the Liberty State, also released a statement at the time recalling his appearances on Russert’s show.
"I think any politician in Washington would tell you one of their favorite ways to spend a Sunday morning was visiting Tim on "Meet the Press" – even though you knew he was going to grill you! I know I’ll particularly miss those few minutes before we went on air, where Tim always took the time to talk about the Bills before getting down to business. By putting Tim Russert’s name on this portion of Route 20A, he will never be far from the town he never forgot."
The day of Russert’s sudden death, the President and First Lady Laura Bush said that they were "deeply saddened" by his passing.
"Those of us who knew and worked with Tim, his many friends, and the millions of Americans who loyally followed his career on the air will all miss him. As the longest-serving host of the longest-running program in the history of television, he was an institution in both news and politics for more than two decades. Tim was a tough and hardworking newsman. He was always well-informed and thorough in his interviews. And he was as gregarious off the set as he was prepared on it."
Russert is survived by his wife Maureen and his son Luke.
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Tim Russert was a great guy, and all of us who loved him on “Meet The Press” will miss him as long as that program airs. It won’t be the same, regardless of who takes over the show. We also will miss his political commentary this election season. He was so brilliant and insightful. Somehow I just know he’ll be smiling down on us when we elect Barack Obama as POTUS!
Posted by: geecee | July 23, 2008, 1:12 pm 1:12 pm
BECKY your sick to bring politics into a mans eulogy.
As a matter of fact Tim Russert was upset that Obama was not keeping his word on campaign funding with McCain.
You Obama freaks have a big problem to drag the honor of a dead man into politics. Go vote for Obama you whacko
Posted by: nowaty | July 23, 2008, 2:52 pm 2:52 pm
I am from Buffalo and Tim Russert never forgot his hometown. He always did us proud.
Thank you Senators Clinton and Schumer and President Bush for the legislation naming the highway after Tim.
Posted by: basil | July 23, 2008, 3:45 pm 3:45 pm
Like the death of anyone we admire and love, the loss of Tim Russert is not getting any easier with time… We’ve purposely stayed away from ‘Meet the Press’ for the month since his death because we couldn’t bear his absence. Last week we tuned in and had to shut the TV off. The lack of respect for Former Vice President Al Gore was apparent. (Brokaw spoke over him, wouldn’t let him finish sentances, and offered opinions rather than drawing out facts and details.) What a shame…
I guess no one COULD do is as well as Tim, anyway. But damn it, I REALLY, REALLY miss him!
Posted by: Angie | July 23, 2008, 9:47 pm 9:47 pm
Go Hillary, great job in honoring a him even though he grilled you.
Posted by: rachel | July 23, 2008, 11:55 pm 11:55 pm
That is nice. I love hearing news like this. Tim will be sorely missed.
Posted by: Iam4thiscountry | July 24, 2008, 1:24 am 1:24 am
This is finally some good news to come out of this. Angie, you are so right I really miss him too.
One felt like they knew him well because he was real on air and not some “talking points memo” like most TV talking heads are these days.
I think there should be more in honor of Tim like a “Russert School Of Journalism” or an annual award in Tim’s name for excellence in journalism, scholarship. There are so many things that can honor his memory that would be appropriate.
He was the most honest, hard working, decent, genuine person I have ever seen on air and he sure is missed.
People like Tim don’t come our way often but let us be glad he did and never forget him.
Posted by: blatz | July 24, 2008, 2:34 am 2:34 am
NY the “Liberty State”. I was taught it was the “Empire State”
Posted by: b | July 24, 2008, 7:17 am 7:17 am
Many times my family and I have driven to Bills games on that stretch of highway, and parked just off the road to wait for the gates to Lot No. 1 to open. When we do it this year, I’ll raise a cold Rolling Rock and say, “Here’s to you, Timmy. And go Bills!”
Posted by: Stash | July 24, 2008, 7:44 am 7:44 am
I just finished Big Russ and Me and nearly cried my eyes out. Tim’s father is exactly as my father was: patient, kind, hard working, smart, level-headed, Irish, Catholic, beer drinking, served his country, the list goes on and on. My father passed away a few years back and it has been very hard on me. I am the only boy in the family and I, too, have three sisters — again, the parallels are erry but refreshing to my heart. I will miss Tim’s Meet the Press and his way of communicating with the common folk of this country. He was tough and demanded you know the issues and facts, but always fair. The blue-collar reporter; the one who was truly fair and balanced. I am glad they are dedicating a street to Tim and his family.
Posted by: John Taylor | July 24, 2008, 11:45 am 11:45 am
Tim was a good man,I loved to hear him talk of his family,but on the other side of the coin he had a very pronounced liberal bend,So although I admire the man for his family values and such,I CRINGED AT HIS LEFTEST LEANINGS.Can we not be honest on where this mans heart was?
Posted by: Brad | July 24, 2008, 9:52 pm 9:52 pm
As far as Tony Snow.Well night and day there.Tony waiverd little and took a no holds barred to the leffist media types.Between these two fine men,they took oposite roads at the fork in the road.One went left, the other went the correct right dirrection.
Posted by: Brad | July 24, 2008, 10:01 pm 10:01 pm
Although Russert worked for Democratic politicians in his early career, once he became a journalist, he showed professionalism in all of his work. He could be critical and hard nosed, but he was always fair and objective. Snow, on the other hand, made is name as a commentator, with an obvious right tilt to his commentary. The only way a left vs. right comparison between Russert and Snow could be made is if Russert had been the press secretary Bill Clinton, which he never was.
Look, this dedication is not about politcs, it’s about a regular guy from Buffalo who became famous, but always remained loyal to his roots and to his Buffalo Bills. Snow grew up in Cincinnati. If the US senators from Ohio want to sponsor a resolution to rename a section of federal highway outside of Paul Brown Stadium after Tony Snow, that would be fine with me.
Shame on you right wingers for trying to hijack this commentary.
Posted by: POed | July 25, 2008, 9:37 am 9:37 am
“So we’ll get right to the point on that one. We all know, and you all know now, if you didn’t know in the moment before, we’re telling you right now about the beloved newsman you call Tim Russert, was, with his permission, and we’ll tell you why in a moment, was removed, given a heart attack, so that his physical body would no longer function, it would as you say, die, and there are reasons for it. The most compelling reason of those who utilized that technology to do this, was that they feared that he was about to expose some of their deepest darkest doings. And at this time people would listen, because Tim Russert was a man that people listened to, and that he might just start talking in the middle of one his well-attended television programs.
“And the easiest thing was to just literally, break his heart, or however you want to put it. They gave him a heart attack. It was all done through energetic waves.
Posted by: John | July 25, 2008, 10:34 pm 10:34 pm
I am surprised that this story didn’t get more media coverage….I just saw it online. Words can’t describe the importance that Tim had for the voice of American politics…He was a true journalist hero and all around hero for mankind…..FABULOUS tribute.
Posted by: Darla | July 26, 2008, 2:49 am 2:49 am