The Washington Bureau Chief and Meet the Press moderator was 58 . And although Russert may have occasionally ticked of progressives, the condolences have been honest , sympathetic , and void of spite . All I can say it that while his style of "you said this/did this back then, but now you say this/do this" became gimmicky, no one did it better. No one . Next to attending church, watching him on MTP was an enjoyable Sunday tradition. His shoes will be hard to fill.