Tim Russert, who died Friday of a heart attack at age 58, was one of those rare journalists whom very few people can say anything bad about. He was a fair, rigorous, and intelligent interviewer, but plain-spoken enough to de-mystify the rhetoric that often obscures political discourse.

He possessed qualities that might seem to cancel each other out: he was humble yet confident, warm yet intense. He made learning about politics almost fun for the millions who tuned in to watch him every Sunday on Meet the Press.

He filled an important role in the media landscape, and I can only hope that role will be filled again by a reporter of such class.

The BBC released this video after his death recalling what made this man from an Irish, working-class neighborhood in Buffalo, New York so remarkable:

[Image: rocketart]