Respect for Russert, saddness at his sudden death

Tim Russert died today. It's such a shame because he was really at the top of the game. As a former journalist, or one who just leaves the business because I can't afford to live on what it wants to pay, I have a lot of respect for him and his work. Not being a political reporter, I didn't always follow his stories, but when I did see his work, I appreciated the way he approached his stories with integrity and honesty. I loved his sense of laughter and always a ready smile. When I saw it on the Internet, I just couldn't believe it. I turned on MSNBC live and couldn't turn it off. I was mesmerized. It was like 9/11 in that I couldn't turn from the TV. I'm not equating the two events, just my inability to stop watching the breaking news. As I learned more about him as a man and an American, I came to understand what a loss we have all suffered. I think about his family: his wife, son, father and sister, and hope that they are surrounded by love, friends and family members during this difficult time. God speed Tim Russert.