Anne's Arts & Activities Blog

By Alex Johnson and Jesamyn Go Reporters, MSNBC Luke Russert, whose eloquent eulogy for his father, the late NBC News journalist Tim Russert, moved many Americans last month, will join the network as a correspondent, NBC News announced Thursday. Russert, 22, a May graduate of Boston College with a degree in history and communications, will cover the youth vote through the national political conventions and the general election, the network said. Russert said he would be an at-large correspondent reporting for many of NBC’s outlets, including “NBC Nightly News,” TODAY, MSNBC and msnbc.com. NBC News made the announcement in rolling out its plans for more than 200 hours of live coverage of the Democratic and Republican national conventions next month. For the full story, go to MSNBC.com

Mark Whitaker is the new D.C. bureau chief for NBC News, succeeding the late Tim Russert, NBC announced today. NBC News President Steve Capus called Whitaker "the ideal candidate for the job, and that was evident the minute we took stock of potential replacements." Whitaker will remain a senior vice president at NBC News. Former NBC anchor Tom Brokaw is filling Russert's seat at "Meet the Press" through the presidential election.

President Bush has signed a bill into law, designating the stretch of US Route 20A outside Ralph Wilson Stadium in honor of the late Tim Russert. Russert died June 13 at 58 of a heart attack while working at NBC News. During football season, he ended his Sunday broadcast of "Meet the Press," with the signoff "Go Bills." The measure to honor him and his connection to the Bills was passed unanimously by the House of Representatives and the Senate. The stretch of Route 20A between Abbott Road and California Road in Orchard Park is now the "Timothy J. Russert Highway."

A road to the Ralph will be renamed in honor of Tim Russert. The US House of Representatives has approved a measure to rename a portion of Route 20A near Ralph Wilson Stadium after the Buffalo native and avid Bills fan. The Senate gave its OK late last month. The bill is now on its way to President Bush for his signature. US Senators Chuck Schumer and Hillary Clinton, along with Congressman Brian Higgins, proposed the renaming shortly after Russert died of a heart attack last month. Following the House vote, Higgins said it's a "fitting remembrance of a man, who after all his success, never forgot his hometown." The stretch of Route 20A between Abbott Road and California Road in Orchard Park will be designated as the "Timothy J. Russert Highway."

Buffalo, NY (WBEN) - A Buffalo Bills fan is pushing the team to honor Tim Russert by placing Russert's name on the Wall of Fame inside Ralph Wilson Stadium and the team has started to discuss the possibility in a very early, preliminary and informal way "It is something we have even talked about inside the Bills after learning of his death," says Bills VP Scott Berchtold. "...basically it's just been hallway conversations, but I'm sure it will come up again." Dan McCormick, a Niagara University grad, launched the online petition drive and as of this post he had more than 600 signatures on the site. For the full story, go WBEN.com . To read and/or sign the petition, go HERE /

HARRISBURG – Governor Edward G. Rendell expressed sorrow upon learning of the death of veteran NBC Newsman Tim Russert. “Tim was the epitome of political journalists; someone who was very personable and could conduct very informative and sometimes riveting interviews,” Governor Rendell said. “Over the past few decades, Tim’s keen grasp of political issues in Washington and across the nation made him must see TV. “As a newsmaker, I knew I had to be prepared when I was interviewed by him, because I knew he was very prepared. As moderator of ‘Meet the Press,’ he extracted information the general public needed to be better informed. “Midge and I are shocked and saddened to hear of his untimely death and we express our condolences to Tim’s family and close friends.”

We usually don't tell people to watch TV (because radio is so much better -- the theater of the mind, and all), but we're making an exception. If you get a chance to watch the Tom Brokaw interview with Tim Russert about his book "Wisdom of Our Fathers," you'll hear Russert and Brokaw talk about Pitt-Bradford Director of Marketing and Communications Pat Frantz Cercone and her father Richard. "You can feel Pat's love exploding off the page," Russert says. "Here's a man who was a father and a mother to the fullest extent ... and boy does she love him." Those of us who know her, know how true that is!

WASHINGTON -- Buffalo's federal lawmakers said today that they want to rename a portion of U.S. Route 20 in Orchard Park after the late Tim Russert. Under the proposal, the section of the road that runs near Ralph Wilson Stadium -- home to Russert's beloved Buffalo Bills -- would bear the late television newsman's name. Sen. Charles E. Schumer, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton and Rep. Brian Higgins said they would introduce a resolution regarding the highway's name on Monday. "Tim Russert was in every way, Mr. Buffalo," said Schumer, D-N.Y. "With his trademark 'Go Bills' sign-off, Tim Russert showed his pride for the city that made him who he was. He always cared about Buffalo, and when I spoke with him just a few weeks ago he said he would do everything he could to keep the Bills in Buffalo." Russert's support for the Bills, plus his stature in Washington, make for a good argument that the road be named after him, said Clinton, D-N.Y. "...

Buffalo Bisons Organization Mourns the Loss of Longtime Supporter, NBC's Tim Russert Buffalo-native sent Opening Day Video Message for Several Seasons The Buffalo Bisons organization is saddened to hear the news today of the passing of Buffalo-native and NBC News Washington Bureau Chief, Tim Russert. The longtime political analyst passed away on Friday afternoon at the age of 58. "This is truly a sad day for the Buffalo Bisons organization and the entire Western New York community," said Mike Buczkowski, Vice President/General Manger of the Buffalo Bisons. "Tim was a great friend of the Bisons and a positive ambassador for our great city to the rest of the country." Russert was a familiar face to Bisons fans. For the past 10 seasons, Russert recorded a video message from his office in Washington, D.C. that was played on the Bisons Big Board on Opening Day. Along with welcoming fans to the ballpark for the start of a new seas...

The Buffalo Bills released the following statement on the death of Tim Russet: “Tim, as everyone knows, was a tremendous Bills fan. He was always so proud to let people know just how much he loved our team and was such a great ambassador for Buffalo. So many times he ended his “Meet The Press” show with his patented “Go Bills!” that it became part of our Game Day morning rituals. He was a true friend and we will miss him immensely. Our sincere sympathies go out to his family and our team carries a heavy heart tonight as we mourn the loss of this great man, Buffalo’s native son and a Bills fan forever.”

WASHINGTON, DC-Following the death of Tim Russert, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) released the following statement: “America lost a giant in the world of quality journalism and Buffalo lost her favorite son. He was a tough but fair cross-examiner of candidates and public officials and few journalists understood American politics and history better than Tim. “He earned the respect of Presidents here at home and world leaders as well as members of Congress. He was a faithful son, a devoted husband and father who never forgot where he came from. I speak for the Casey family in extending our condolences to Maureen, their son Luke and the entire Russert family." Senator Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) today issued the following statement regarding journalist Tim Russert’s death: “Tim will be sorely missed because his years as a Senate staffer and probing TV journalist gave him special insights on political and governmental issues. Had he chosen law as a career, his cross-examination would have m...

“Meet the Press” moderator Tim Russert was remembered as a journalism giant Friday by Lee Coppola, dean of St. Bonaventure University’s Russell J. Jandoli School of Journalism and Mass Communication. “The world of journalism has lost an icon and Western New York has lost its greatest ambassador,” Coppola said. Russert, a political analyst well known for his pointed questioning, died unexpectedly Friday in Washington, D.C. Recognized for his achievements and contributions as a journalist and for his strong devotion to his family and his faith, Russert received an honorary doctorate of humane letters from St. Bonaventure in 2001. Coppola attributed the enormous respect Russert garnered — from politicians to the public — to his blue-collar Buffalo roots. “That’s because he came from common people,” said Coppola, who presented Russert with his honorary degree from the University in 2001. “No one ever looked at him as an erudite person.” During his address, Russert reminisced about his Buf...

NBC News is reporting Tim Russert has died. The moderator of "Meet The Press" and South Buffalo native died Friday afternoon in Washington, D.C. Russert was 58 years old. NBC News reports Russert collapsed and died at the NBC News Washington bureau on Friday afternoon. An emotional Tom Browkaw reported the news at 3:40 p.m. eastern time on Friday. "Tim was a true child of Buffalo," Brokaw said to a national audiance during the special report. Browkaw also spoke about Russert's love for the Buffalo Bills. "This news division will not be the same without his strong clear voice," Browkaw said. Russert served as managing editor and moderator of "Meet the Press" and political analyst for NBC News. Russert was also a best selling author. He wrote "Big Russ and Me" in 2004 and "Wisdom of Our Fathers" in 2006. "Wisdom of Our Fathers" features a story by Pitt-Bradford Director of Communications and Marketing Pat Frantz Ce...