Newsman Tim Russert dies at 58
Story Highlights
He collapsed and died at work, according to the network

Best known as host of NBC's "Meet the Press"

Russert just returned from trip to Italy with family

(CNN) -- Tim Russert, who became one of America's leading political journalists as the host of NBC's "Meet the Press," died Friday, according to the network. He was 58.

The network said Russert suffered a heart attack while at work and could not be revived. He had just returned from a family vacation in Italy to celebrate the graduation of his son, Luke, from Boston College.

Russert joined the network in 1984 and quickly established himself as the face of the network's political coverage.

In 1985 he supervised live broadcasts of the "Today" show from Rome, negotiating an appearance by Pope John Paul II -- a first for American television.

He took the helm of "Meet the Press" in 1991, turning the long-running Sunday-morning interview program into the most-watched show of its kind in the United States.

Washingtonian Magazine once dubbed Russert the best and most influential journalist in Washington, describing "Meet the Press" as "the most interesting and important hour on television."

In 2008, Time Magazine named him one of the 100 most influential people in the world.

His two books -- 2004's "Big Russ and Me" and 2006's "Wisdom of Our Fathers" were both New York Times best sellers.

Russert served as press secretary for former New York Gov. Mario Cuomo and as chief of staff to Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan, a New York Democrat who died in 2003.

Russert was born in 1950 in Buffalo, New York, the son of Timothy John Russert Sr. -- a newspaper truck driver and sanitation worker who was the "Big Russ" from his autobiography -- and Elizabeth Russert, a homemaker.

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I was a big fan of his. If you ever saw him interview, he was politely unrelenting... he knew the score, and he knew the questions to which he wanted answers. And if you wanted to play in big time politics, you had to visit his show... even if you knew it would not be easy.

I heard Michelle Norris say of him on NPR today that he was the ultimate coach, as well. Driven but empowering, and always with a "go get 'em" pep talk after any meeting with junior media members, wishing them the same success he'd known.

Seemed like a genuinely likeable guy. And, after all... he was a Bills fan.

Peace, dude.

i liked russert too. i made a serious effort to watch "meet the press" every week, sunday mornings will be different without him. he seemed to be one of the few in news that "got it." he truly seemed to be "fair and balanced" asking tough questions politely and respectfully but tough nonetheless. and he had a bit of the bulldog in him and would continue to dig when his questions weren't answered or the issue was skirted. in short, he's what we need more of in the world of news, information and politics today, not less of.

and he seemed like a good man, the stories i heard about the relationship between him and his father and more recently, between him and his family were truly touching. a good man, a good reporter. he will be missed.

I am kind of bummed that Tim Russert died as I am that Jim McKay also died in the past week----with Jim McKay---it was not such a surprise--he had retired long ago and was nearly 90----but to have Russert pass at such a relative young age and so suddenly is definitely a bummer----both will be missed for both were people who were at the top of their professions---albeit in different generations.

If you watched the coverage / tributes to Russert over the weekend you no-doubt heard many references to Springsteen. He & Tim went way back. I remember reading in Big Russ & Me (great book) that when Tim was in college in Cleveland he wound up on the concert-booking committee and booked some band, unknown at the time.....Bruce Springsteen & the E-Street Band, ...they were touring only the East coast, coming about as far west as Cleveland & Toledo....in a van.
Tim, obviously, became hooked back then in the early 70s

I agree with everything here ... he was a real guy with real guy interests (even if one of them was the stinkin' Buffalo Bills), that's something you just don't get anymore. Watching ESPN, the tributes come in due to his ties to pro sports; his son Luke was an intern at ESPN and worked on my favorite show: Pardon the Interruption. Reading what his boy Luke said in an interview (with Matt Lauer, I think), well, I couldn't believe that the young man said what he said, keeping his composure all the while.

I hope my kids say about me ONE TENTH of the things Luke said about his dad when I kick the old oxygen habit. My tickets to see games and concerts aren't going to be nearly as good, and I'm certainly not "fair" or "balanced" the lion's share of the time.

Gosh, who's left with integrity in the political arena?