A Sad Day for Political Junkies

Anyone who follows politics knows how incredibly tragic the loss of Tim Russert is. Ever since Friday, I have been following the coverage. Seeing the humanity brought out in these journalists and politicians that I watch all of the time makes me realize what an amazing person he must have been. I watch Meet the Press every Sunday. This morning, Tom Brokaw started the show with a "no weeping" policy, however, part way in, it was Brokaw who struggled to fight off tears in an attempt to finish his sentence.

One thing I've taken away from watching this coverage is that Russert spent most of his time neck deep in politics, studying it from every angle. Yet, unlike most people, he remained hopeful and optimistic; he loved politics and never grew cynical. I know a lot of people who hate politics, could care less or have grown jaded. I hope I never become that way. Politics are an enormous part of the human condition and influence every area of life. So I am exited for the coming election day because, ultimately, I am hopeful for a better world; I am hopeful for better people and, therefore, also for better politics. But it will be sad to watch it all unfold without the coverage of one of the only journalists who deserve the label "fair and balanced."