A good man.


Today, on the way home from work, as we were stopped at a traffic signal on campus, the talk radio host suddenly made a sad and shocking announcement that had just come in from CBS: Tim Russert had passed away suddenly this afternoon.
Tim was not just an average reporter - wasn't out to get a story at any cost as some of the reporters we see on tv. He was a kind man, anxious to give the American public a good and accurate view of what is going on in our nation - and across the world. But tough as he was on those he interviewed, there was compassion and empathy in this man's heart.
And of course, his Buffalo roots went deep - he was so proud of our city and of the difficulties our city has weathered; proud of every trip Buffalo Bills unsuccessfully made to the Super Bowl and of the Sabres Stanley Cup losses, but mostly he was proud of his Buffalo heritage because it represented a toughness that doesn't exist everywhere. He was proud of his relationship with his dad and his son, and of the strength of the people who live in the city he grew up in.
I could go on and on - but all the networks and news channels will do the same so I will just say thank you to Tim for the honesty and goodness he portrayed in all of his reporting. We will miss him here in the Buffalo area.
He was a good man.