As most of you know, Tim Russert of "Meet the Press" passed away last Friday. His death was untimely and came as a shock to many. I suspect many people will wonder why an indie rocker would give second thought to a political journalist's death. It does seem unorthodox. Yet I can't help feeling sadness in my heart when I think of what we have lost.

I recall as a child, and even partially during my college years, feeling like Sunday mornings were the worst time of the week for television. A hard choice had to be made between religious propaganda or boring politicians that would put you back to sleep with their monotone voices. I believe many adolescent youths have felt the same way growing up. I don't know what happened, and perhaps it's correlated to my maturing biology and the forces of the world that affect my life, but 3-4 years ago I started watching "Meet the Press." Every week I grew more and more fascinated with the interviews. Eventually I started setting my alarm clock on Sundays to make sure I wouldn't oversleep and miss the show. Perhaps I got the jollies from watching people being interrogated…or maybe I was just amused by the candid politicians. No, surely this couldn't be it. The reason I kept tuning in every week was because of one man: Tim Russert. The man was solid as a rock. Every week he had the power to bring the most powerful politicians in the world to their knees. People appearing on his show knew they would have to face the music and be held accountable for their past actions that had gotten them into office. Tim was more than a person; he was a symbol of integrity, justice, and truth. Not only did it feel like I was watching a great ringmaster put on an amazing show, but I also felt like I was visiting with a friend, even though I never met the man.

What made Tim Russert so special? What made Tim special was that he was a citizen of the world doing exactly what he loved and was designed to do. His passion of being the literal bridge between government and citizens radiated through him like a beacon of light every week. The man was consistently smiling whenever you would see a video clip of him. That is how much he loved his work. Tim was what all of us should strive to be, the best at what's in our hearts. Russert's name is unequivocally analogous with excellence. He taught us not to float through life, but to follow our passions with tenacity. Sunday mornings will not be the same without him. Tim set the standard for what all of us should strive to be. We will miss you, Mr. Russert.

Erik Widman