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As Host of the venerable and number one rated Meet The Press program on NBC and a major contributor to the Today Show, NBC Nightly News, MSNBC and CNBC, Tim Russert was widely acknowledged as one of the leading and most influential broadcast journalists. The HRTS was extremely proud to present Mr. Russert as our luncheon speaker on February 11, 2003 discussing in his words, “Washington from the inside out.”
 REGENT BEVERLY WILSHIRE HOTEL, February 11th, 2003
Excerpt from article written by Past Executive Director, Gene Herd:
Tim Russert’s view of history as it unfolds was a wake-up call for those of us who daily encounter conflicting news accounts from the White House and from the rest of the world. As a non-partisan journalist, the questions he posed were both extraordinary and simple to understand. They characterized for this day in history the intellectual and emotional atmosphere on February 11, 2003, on the verge of President Bush’s decision to invade Iraq.
The following is an excerpt from Mr. Russert's speech:
Those opposed would say, ‘Mr. President, he’s in the box. And what happens if you open the box? What happens if you go into Iraq without a second UN resolution while the French, Germans and Russians voicing large objections? One: What happens inside Iraq with these Sunni, Shiites and Kurds - three distinct ethnic groups? Do they come together after the war and say ‘Let’s have a Jeffersonian Democracy.’ Or will they have their own discreet and separate republics? And what would that mean for Turkey and Iran? How long would we be there in terms of rebuilding Iraq? And during the campaign, didn’t you say that you didn’t believe in nation building? Is this an example of that or have you changed your mind? What happens in the streets of Iraq? Are the Americans viewed as liberators or conquerors?
 A personal note from Past HRTS President and friend of Tim Russert, Mr. Andy Friendly:
“I first worked with Tim when we launched his CNBC show in the early nineties. I asked him to join our team of primetime speakers that included Tom Snyder, Geraldo, Mary Matalin, Phil Donahue and others.
Tim was brilliant and dedicated but my lasting memory is that of a true team player who cared not only about his show but about everyone else’s. There is nothing he wouldn’t do to help the team. I think his much celebrated love of sports carried over to his work and his relationship with his colleagues from the stars to the interns.
When we asked him to speak at the HRTS Luncheon in 2003 about covering the world just after 911 he didn’t hesitate to come to California despite his impossibly busy schedule.
His speech and Q&A after was brilliant and helped all of us struggling with a post 911 world put things into perspective and it helped boost the mission and credibility of our great organization.
That was Tim. Always there for you. We will miss him more than words can say”.
-Andy Friendly
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