Buffalo's own Tim Russert, one of the most influential journalists in America, will be speaking tonight at 8 p.m. at Alumni Arena in the final Distinguished Speakers Series event this year.
Tim Russert is best known for his role as the producer and host of the Sunday morning political news program "Meet the Press," a program that many Washington insiders say can make or break political careers.
In 2001, Russert was named by Washington Magazine as the best and most influential journalist in Washington D.C., according to the Office of Special Events.
Special Events Director Bill Regan said it was honor to get someone with as much "talent and intellect" as Russert to speak at the event.
"For the past several years we've held this final spot in the series for things to do with American culture or politics," Regan said. "We've had speakers like Bill Bradley, Ken Burns and George Stephanopolous fill this final slot. We chose Tim Russert since it's an election year, and he always seems to get the best interviews on his program."
Along with being a journalist, Russert also served as a counselor in the New York State Governor's office and as a special counselor to the United States Senate, both in the 1980s.
Russert is expected to use his knowledge of the current political situation in the United States as one of the topics of his speech.
"We expect him to talk about current events that are out there, elections, about the international scene, and of course things going on over in Iraq," said Regan.
Russert was born in Buffalo and graduated from Canisius High School. He went on to earn a degree from John Carroll University in Cleveland and graduate with honors from the Clevland-Marshall College of Law.
Russert has since received 22 honorary doctorates from colleges and universities across the United States.
Since Russert took over "Meet the Press" in 1991, the program has become the most watched Sunday morning news program and also "the most quoted news program in the world," according to the Office of Special Events Web site.
"We wanted to get someone with consummate journalistic skills, someone who would give it to us," said Regan. "Russert will be able to able to talk to us without the networks and the critics judging him. It allows him to speak his mind. It gives us an opportunity to learn that much more about an educated program, a concept or a viewpoint."
Along with Meet the Press, Russert is a contributing editor to MSNBC and a political analyst for "NBC Nightly News" and "The Today Show." He also anchors "The Tim Russert Show," a weekly interview program on the cable network CNBC.
"We are lucky to have someone with so much talent and intellect," said Regan. "As is true with each speaking series, we get an opportunity to reflect and recognize that at one point these people were students just like you. It reminds us to always reach for the stars."
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
