WHEN TIM RUSSERT THE NBC WASHINGTON BUREAU CHIEF AND HOST OF SUNDAY MEET THE PRESS DIED OF A SUDDEN HEART ATTACK ON FRIDAY, IT LEFT A VOID IN THE BROADCAST INDSUTRY THAT WILL NOT BE FILLED FOR A LONG TIME, AND CERTAINTLY AT NBC NEWS FOR THE MIMMEDIATE FUTURE.

AND WHILE IT MAY BE DIFFICULT FOR NON VIEWERS OF MEET THE PRESS TO UNDERSTAND THE SIGNIFCANCE OF THIS LOSS, THE COUNTLESS TRIBUTES ON ALL THE NEWS NETWORKS OVER THE WEEKEND SHOWCASED TIMS ROLE IN THE DELIVERY OF NEWS AND INFORMATION TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.

PERSONALLY, RUSSERT WAS THE BEST SINGLE INTERVIEWER I HAVE EVER SCENE. AS SOMEONE WHO PRIDES HIMSELF ON PREPERATIONAND FAIRNESS, RUSSERT WAS THE PROFESSIONAL COMPESS FOR ME FOR 17 YEARS, HIS TIMETIME AS MTP MODERATOR.

I MET HIM TWICE, ONCE WHILE COVERING THE FLORIDA GUBERNATORIAL DEBATE FOR JEB BUSHS SECOND TERM IN 2002, AND MORE RECENTLY AT A WASHINGTON NBA BASKETBALL GAME IN THE DISTRICT.

HE WAS AT THE GAME WITH HIS SON LUKE,

FOR RUSSERT TO DIE GOING INTO THE FATHERS DAY WEEKEND CARRIED EVEN MORE SPECIAL SIGNIFICANCE. HE WAS PROUD TO BE LUKES DAD AND SAID SO IN THE CLOSING OF EACH FATHERS DAY BROADCAST. HIS TRIBUTE TO HIS OWN FATHER IN HIS BOOK, BIG RUSS AND ME, WAS ALSO A LESSON FOR HIS SON LUKE.

IN MY CONDOLENCES TO HIS WIFE MAUREEN, LUKE AND BIG RUSH, I LET THEM KNOW THAT TIM WAS LOVED AND RESPECTED BY THE WIDEST AND MOST DIVERSE CROWD OF PEOPLE I HAVE EVER WITNESSED.

TIMS TIME WITH US ON THIS EARTH MADE US A LITTLE RICHER, AND FOR ME AS AN INTERVIEWER, A LITTLE BETTER. I WILL MORE THAN MISS HIM.