Not only did we lose a quality human being on Friday, we lost what was undoubtedly a one-man brand.
I cannot name any other media person who single-handedly created a brand for themselves by the way they went about a multitude of tasks and responsibilities. Mr. Russert’s brand promise to all of us was: “I will always be tough, fair and describe a landscape with a common man’s view.” It takes great intellect to deliver on that promise, but he did it in a way that resonated with a wide audience.