The Definition of Integrity...

For those of you who don't already know, journalist Tim Russert died yesterday at the age of 58. In my opinion, it was a sad day for many. As my mother and father put it, "We feel like we've lost a part of our family."

I was raised in a politically charged climate. A typical family get together (on both sides of the family) would likely include some form of political debate. My mom's side is primarily affiliated with the Republican Party (fortunately she has chosen to go to the other side of the spectrum), while my dad's is clearly on the side of the Democrats.

We used to watch debates like most people in America watch sporting events. I was encouraged to develop my own belief system, and early on, found myself falling in love with the process. As a child on more than several occasions, I found it to be my civic duty to write letters to seated presidents when I didn't agree with their policies. I caught myself yelling at the television when I thought their ideas were ludicrous. Later on, I took my passion and put it into my job as an on-air radio news director and talk-show host. Many of my guests were from the Republican world, and even though we had differing opinions, through my lines of questioning, I was able to develop and appreciation for what they stood for.

One of my favorite parts of my job was to attend local governmental meetings; city council; county board; interviews with the Illinois State Treasurer, Lt. Governor, numerous US Senators and Illinois Representatives; and above all, election night. A part of me misses the horse race; another is thankful I was given the opportunity to fully understand how the process works. For some, the inner workings of federal, local, and state governmental bodies might be considered boring, but to me it was magical.

Sadly, in this day and age, there are very few consummate professional journalists left. The Bill O'Reillys and Ann Coulters of the world have surely taken care of that. One of the reasons I held Tim Russert in such high esteem was for the fact that he was completely neutral. Russert kept his strong beliefs to himself and could interview like no one else He had the knack for gleaning information that many could not. His passion for all things political came shining through in every broadcast and every interview. It was clear he was well versed, and definitely did his homework before he ever stepped in front of the camera. His kindness was apparent, and his neutrality found him many unlikely friends.

In the end, he will be remembered for being an amazing television personality...larger than life. His fair and balanced reporting, and true excitement for covering political events never failed to put a smile on my face.