Wuss.

I don't cry very often.

Frankly, I don't even think I cried when I was diagnosed with cancer earlier this year.

Well that streak has come to an end. When I learned of Tim Russert's death today, I was admittedly shocked. Shocked not because he wasn't terribly old, not because I had just seen him last week on Meet the Press, but shocked because of how much this guy meant to me.

You know - it was only about 10 years ago that I loathed the guy. It would have taken a $20 bill and a McDonalds breakfast for somebody to get me to sit through his show on a Sunday morning. In retrospect - it wasn't about him or even the format of the show, it was about the world. We were in the midst of the Clinton years where most people were living the lives they had hoped for. Strong economy, high world morale and aside from a very questionable humidor - a seemingly well run country.

About a month ago I mentioned to Kristin how much I admired Russert and most of the NBC crew during this election cycle. It was only tonight that I realized how much more I admired the cat. I learned more about this man in two hours than I had in his storied 24 year run on NBC. A hard worker that still remembered that family was number 1. A man that treated the journalism trade not as a competition but as a collaboration. Leadership through mentoring.

RIP Tim. This election just won't be the same without you.