Colorado politicians reacted with shock and sadness Friday to news of Tim Russert’s death.
Republican Sen. Wayne Allard, who in 2002 debated Democratic challenger Tom Strickland on Russert’s “Meet the Press” program, said, “I always felt like he was pretty fair. He was somebody I could be fairly relaxed with on his show.”
Also, Allard knew that Russert was a devoted Buffalo Bills fan. Near the end of that 2002 show, Allard pulled out a Denver Broncos jersey and challenged Russert to bet on the outcome of a Broncos-Bills matchup that afternoon.
Tipped off to the stunt by Allard aides, Russert pulled out a Bills jersey. He agreed to the bet and, after the Bills’ loss, delivered Allard some buffalo wings.
Sen. Ken Salazar appeared on the program in 2004, when he was running against Republican Pete Coors.
“(Russert) had a pure passion for politics and brought an important perspective to politics in America,” Salazar said in a statement. “His voice on Sunday mornings and on election nights, and all his contributions to American politics and journalism, will be greatly missed.”
Dick Wadhams, spokesman for former Rep. and current U.S. Senate candidate Bob Schaffer, said “Meet the Press” had contacted him earlier in the week about setting up on-air debates between Schaffer and Democrat Mark Udall.
Wadhams said it would have been the fourth election cycle working with Russert’s show.
“It was a delight to work with Russert and his entire staff,” he said. “I think he was an eminently fair host of the program and the debate series.”
Udall, a U.S. congressman from Eldorado Springs, had not appeared on the show but knew Russert.
“In our generation, there has not been a more insightful, tenacious reporter, and this is a sad day for our country,” he said.
Rep. Marilyn Musgrave, a Fort Morgan Republican, said she was “a great admirer of Tim Russert, who simply died too soon. He was a model of what a journalist should be: well-informed, tough but always fair.”
When Russert was presented with the Denver Press Club’s Damon Runyon Award on April 13, Mayor John Hickenlooper declared it “Tim Russert Day” in Denver. Hickenlooper said Russert’s presence would be missed at the upcoming Democratic National Convention.
“He would have been holding court,” Hickenlooper said.
Evan Dreyer, spokesman for Democratic Gov. Bill Ritter, said: “Tim Russert was a tremendous journalist of unparalleled character and integrity. His death is a blow to the world of journalism and the public discourse around the politics of the day. ”
U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette, a Denver Democrat, said Russert’s death was a “great loss” to journalism. Speaking with Russert in April about the convention, DeGette said, “He was not only looking forward to covering it, but thrilled it was being held in the West. We will all miss him sorely.”
