In recent weeks, as NBC executives continue to search for a long term replacement for the late Tim Russert as the moderator of Meet the Press, several TV news insiders have speculated to the Media Mob that Ted Koppel was a possibility.

So much for that.

Today, TV Newser has an interview with Mr. Koppel in which the veteran newsman more or less shoots down that possibility.

"That's the kind of thing that doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me," Mr. Koppel told a Russertian-sounding Gail Shister. "They need to find somebody younger than Tim, not older than Tim.  read more »

Barack Obama the naïve sapling is out, replaced – for the time being at least – by a different caricature: the cunning opportunist, wrapping himself in the mantle of reform in ruthless and amoral pursuit of the White House.

The image began taking hold in the media last week, when Obama rationalized his way out of a previous commitment to make a good-faith effort at participating in the public financing system for the general election.

Given his earlier cutesiness on Nafta, his now infamous 130 “present” votes in the Illinois legislature and his penchant for blaming his staff for his own mistakes, the campaign funding flap could serve as a tipping point in the media’s portrayal of Obama.  read more »

No long-term decisions have been made, but Brian Williams will host Meet the Press this Sunday.

His guests will include Lindsey Graham and Joseph Biden, the scheduled guests for Meet the Press on June 16 before Tim Russert's sudden death last week. Jacques Steinberg of The New York Times has the news from NBC's spokeswoman, Allison Gollust.

Yesterday afternoon, politicians, journalists, news executives, friends and family members gathered at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. for a 90-minute memorial service honoring the late Tim Russert.

The moving ceremony reached an emotional peak when Mr. Russert's 22-year-old son Luke took the stage and spoke eloquently about his father's unfailing optimism, his faith in God, and his enthusiasm for life.

"Great men often lead with their egos," said Luke Russert. "Tim Russert led with his heart, his compassion, and, most importantly, his honor. He had a great time living, and is no doubt having the time of his life now in heaven.  read more »

On Sunday morning, Tom Brokaw hosted a special edition of Meet the Press, honoring the late Tim Russert. He was joined in the Meet the Press studio in Washington D.C. by James Carville, Mary Matalin, Mike Barnicle, Gwen Ifill, Doris Kearns Goodwin, and MTP Executive Producer Betsy Fischer. Maria Shriver patched in from Sun Valley, Idaho.

"Tim has a very large wooden sign in his office and it's going to be our mantra for this morning," said Mr. Brokaw at the outset. "It says, ‘thou shall not whine.' If I could add anything to that, I think, thou shall not weep or cry this morning. This is a celebration."  read more »

In the aftermath of Tim Russert’s sudden death, the Los Angeles Times speculates on who NBC News executives will choose to replace Mr. Russert as the host of Meet the Press.

“Speculation on possible successors centers on three on-air personalities already under contract to NBC: David Gregory, the former White House correspondent recently given his own MSNBC show, "Race for the White House"; Chris Matthews, host of MSNBC's long-running "Hardball"; and Joe Scarborough, the former congressman and host of "Morning Joe" on MSNBC, according to talent representatives who declined to speak on the record for fear of jeopardizing relationships with network management,” reports the L.A. Times.

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had previously been diagnosed with coronary artery disease, which he treated with medication and exercise. After the collapse, medics rushed Russert to Sibley Memorial Hospital, where efforts to resuscitate him failed. According to doctors at the scene, cholesterol plaque had ruptured an artery in Russert’s heart, which was enlarged, an autopsy later revealed.

Tom Brokaw announced the news of Russert’s death on the air for NBC. His colleagues were shocked and grief stricken. Doris Kearns Goodwin, who has known Russert for about a decade and was a frequent guest of his on Meet the Press was in tears after a television station broke the news to her with a telephone call.

"I feel so bad," she told The Observer. "He was such a good friend."

"Somebody just called from the television studio and said have you heard the horrible news about Tim and I thought he must have been in a plane crash,” she added. "He's a giant and he's the best. I loved him…I can't imagine what the news bureau is going through down there. I heard it is just wailing.”  read more »

Bob Shrum, a Democratic strategist and frequent guest on Meet the Press, said he thinks that Tim Russert was "the greatest political interviewer of our time and maybe all time."

"He held people to account. Politicians love to change their views depending on circumstances -- they are only human -- and there was Tim with a quote from six months ago, a year ago, five years ago, to put it up on the screen and say, 'Well, how do you explain your position today, when you said this five years ago?'

"The other thing he did was he reinvented the Sunday talk show. The Sunday talk show could have died. He gave it new life and drama and people really cared about it. And at a human level, he was just a terrific person. He knew my father was sick, he sent him an audio book with an autograph. Of course he wouldn't open it because he didn't want to ruin the autograph. I told Tim and he said, 'I owe you another audio book.' But I find the whole thing unbelievable. I'm supposed to be taping a show with him next Thursday and I'm talking to you about him in the past tense.

"The other thing is that he was a progressive Democrat, he never made any secret about that, but he was totally fair. You could get people on both sides of the aisle to say that. Tough. He could be very tough. But he said what he thought. So on the night of Indiana and North Carolina he looked in to the camera and said we now know who the Democratic nominee for president is going to be, and he was right. Some people criticized him for that, but it was the truth."

More on the Paterson press conference, from intern Bharat Ayyar:

Just moments after the conclusion of the event, David Paterson went back up to the podium to address the sudden passing of NBC anchor Tim Russert.

“He was a resident of Buffalo, New York, had worked in the governor’s office of the State of New York, and has been an outstanding journalist," he said. "For those who watched Meet the Press every Sunday, any guest on that program was subjected to his steadfast, disciplined, critical and honest nature."

"The world was benefited by his contributions," Paterson continued. "We send our deepest sympathies and prayers to the family of Tim Russert."

From John McCain:

"I am very saddened by Tim Russert's sudden death. Cindy and I extend our thoughts and prayers to the Russert family as they cope with this shocking loss and remember the life and legacy of a loving father, husband and the preeminent political journalist of his generation. He was truly a great American who loved his family, his friends, his Buffalo Bills, and everything about politics and America. He was just a terrific guy. I was proud to call him a friend, and in the coming days, we will pay tribute to a life whose contributions to us all will long endure."

From New York State Democratic Party Chair June O'Neill:

“Tim Russert was a New York original, a die-hard Bills fan and an old friend to many of us in the New York State Democratic Party. A native of Buffalo, Tim was a local hero who I first got to know when he went to work for Pat Moynihan’s campaign and later on Mario Cuomo’s campaign for Governor. For all Americans he was a trusted voice on the issues of the day, but for New Yorkers he was like an old friend who we tuned into every night and on Sunday mornings. He had a wonderful sense of humor, was a true blue Democrat and just a great guy. On behalf of all New York Democrats, I want to express our deepest sympathies to Tim’s wife Maureen, their son Luke and the entire Russert family. Our thoughts and prayers are with them.”

We'll be adding more here.  read more »