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Exclusive: Ball-player tough
by W. THOMAS SMITH, JR. June 13, 2008
I didn't personally know Tim Russert, but he was one of my absolute favorites. And because of him, Meet the Press has - for years -- been one of my favorite shows.
Russert was a gentleman of the old school (something far too many scoff at today).
I also believe he was a regular guy who unapologetically enjoyed regular-guy things.
Like I say, I didn't know Russert. But I went to school with guys like him. I've hunted deer with guys like him. I've watched a zillion college football games and Clint Eastwood movies with guys like him. I drank beer with guys like him. I've been to church with guys like him. I've worked with guys like him.
Russert was a man who adored his wife and son; and loved, respected, and honored his parents.
Russert and I differed quite a bit, politically. But I believe -- had we known one another -- we would have been great friends, because he would have shown respect for me and my opinions. And I already respected him and his.
Russert was a man who knew his game, and who played it hard and fair.
In a day when political opponents literally hate each other, lie about one another, try to destroy one another, and wallow in the gutters of profanity, propaganda, and hidden agendas; Russert seem to stand above it all and smile and wave the loons off and say, "not me." He simply didn't go down that road.
That's not to suggest he wasn't tough. He was. But he wasn't phony-tough. He wasn't a guttersnipe or a backstabber. He was a fair-play ballplayer, and he was ballplayer-tough.
He'd beat his opponents senseless in the game. But he was also the kind of guy who - at the end of the game - would offer both his hand and that charmingly sincere Russert smile.
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FamilySecurityMatters.org contributing editor W. Thomas Smith Jr. is director of the Counterterrorism Research Center of the Family Security Foundation. A former U.S. Marine infantry leader and shipboard counterterrorism instructor, Smith writes about military/defense issues and has covered conflict in the Balkans, on the West Bank, in Iraq and Lebanon. He is the author of six books, and his articles have appeared in USA Today, George, U.S. News & World Report, BusinessWeek, National Review Online, CBS News, Townhall.com, The Washington Times, and others.
W. Thomas Smith Jr. is director of the Counterterrorism Research Center of the Family Security Foundation. He is is an author, New York Times bestselling editor, columnist, war correspondent, military analyst, field-grade officer in the S.C. Military Dept., former SWAT team officer in the nuclear industry, and former U.S. Marine rifle-squad leader and shipboard counterterrorism instructor, Smith writes about military/defense issues and has covered conflict in the Balkans, on the West Bank, in Iraq and Lebanon. He is the author of six books, and his articles have appeared in USA Today, George, U.S. News & World Report, BusinessWeek, National Review Online, CBS News, Townhall.com, The Washington Times, and others.
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