Tim Russert
In an era when the line between entertainment and journalism has become remarkably thin, Tim Russert stood out.

He was a man who could be very entertaining on the air, without losing his sense of what a journalist was and should be.

After someone prominent dies, it is normal to hear praise from all circles. But with Russert, you get the feeling the sentiment is not just coming because he has died. In my first year as a professional journalist, I watched his interviews and marveled at how he could ask tough questions without getting emotional or forfeiting his neutrality.

Like everyone else, he had his biases, but unlike so many others in his field, they didn't seem to come out when he was covering a topic, no matter how crucial it was.

Russert was only 58. Thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends. But even those who never met the man are losing something.

I can't help but think that I took him and his work for granted, figuring he would be around for years to come.

Instead, he is gone. It's difficult to imagine anyone being as good at his job as he was.

He will be missed.