Bill Monroe, ‘Meet the Press’ Host, Dies at 90

[alp227]

Source: The New York Times

Bill Monroe, a television journalist whose long career with NBC included stints as the network’s Washington bureau chief and moderator of its Sunday interview program, “Meet the Press,” died on Thursday at a nursing home in Potomac, Md. He was 90.

The cause was complications of hypertension, his daughter Lee Monroe said.

From 1975 to 1984, Mr. Monroe was the producer and moderator of “Meet the Press,” the long-running Sunday morning news program built around interviews with national and international figures. He was its fourth producer and moderator, succeeding Lawrence E. Spivak, after serving as a panelist himself.

Mr. Monroe was previously Washington editor of the “Today” show; before that he was NBC’s Washington bureau chief. He later returned to “Today” to present a broadcast equivalent of newspapers’ letters-to-the-editor columns. People who wrote compelling letters were interviewed in their homes or places of work.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/18/business/media/18monroe.htm

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Monroe at center with former presidents Carter and Ford (seems to be from 1976 when Ford was running for re-election against then-Governor of Georgia Carter)

[hlthe2b]

1. So then Tim Russert wasn't actually created by holy intervention

for the sole purpose of creating and hosting MTP? Silly me. RIP, Mr. Monroe. It seems as though you were forgotten, but hopefully will get your due now.

[AngryOldDem]

4. He hosted when Meet the Press was actually relevant.

I'm not sure if he directly followed Lawrence Spivak or not.

[hlthe2b]

5. Yes... I know and I really don't begrudge Russert his due...

I just think it has gotten rather carried away--almost a beatification. His memorial was on an epic scale usually reserved for former Heads of State. Nonetheless, I do recognize that Russert made MTP an instituion--even, if he wasn't the first.

[Submariner]

6. Tim Russert was Pond Scum

Throughout 2000, with less pretense of objectivity than ever, Russert dutifully echoed the Republican theme that the Democratic nominee was “dishonest”. Week after week, the topic on Meet The Press was the “repeated lying” of Al Gore. One lowlight of Russert’s descent into shameless propagandist occurred when it was revealed that George W. Bush had been convicted of drunk driving in Maine, thereby proving that the Republican candidate had been deceitful when he was questioned about whether he had ever been arrested.

Russert’s immediate response on national television was, “The question on everybody’s mind is, ‘Did the Gore campaign have something to do with the release of this information?’”

http://makethemaccountable.com/podvin/media/020109_Russert.htm

[hlthe2b]

7. He was certainly biased and a total kiss-ass to the RW...

Which is why I found his post mortem beatification so annoying. I do agree with the other poster, however, that TR did put MTP on the map. I can will give him his due, even though I found him to be unprofessional in his overt pandering to the RW.

[wilt the stilt]

2. He spoke at my college graduation

and his daughter dated a friend of mine.

[naaman fletcher]

3. Rip bluegrass widow. Nt

[Vidar]

8. RIP Mr. Monroe.