A missed chance to meet 'Meet the Press' host Tim Russert -- but some here saw him at his jolly best

Tim Russert on "Meet the Press." (NBC)

I’ve met my share of famous people – ranging from Roseanne Barr to Michael Jordan and Bill Clinton – but don’t pretend to have any great insights into what they are really like as humans. After all, you can't judge much about character from brief encounters. Still, it's always nice to look someone in the eye you've seen on the little screen, trade a line or ask a question.

There are plenty more folks I wish I’d met and didn't, including some who showed up on my doorstep. Often, we sort of sense that we know these favorites from their public appearances, and think they would be fun to talk with.

That’s how I’m feeling about Tim Russert, the affable yet intense host of NBC's “Meet the Press” who also served as election expert for NBC-TV. Today's news that the 58-year-old newsman died of a heart attack while recording voiceovers for a show saddened me. And ticked me off.

You see, Russert was in Denver on April 13 to accept the Ruynon Award from the Denver Press Club. I knew about it, but didn't go. 755 were smart enough to be there to hear him speak and to shake his hand. Former Denver Business Examiner Will Shanley was one, and he posted a short account of it on the examiner site.

As with any such event, it’s hard to capture in print, even if you quote an award recipient directly – because such summaries tend to miss the flavor. But Press Club president Bruce Goldberg, who works for the Denver Business Journal, was there, since he helped select Russert for the annual honor of a distinguished journalist. And he says that Russert “was clearly pleased to be there. He was almost jolly," he said, adding "he had a sense of humor.”

Exactly. Goldberg captured the element that I think radiated from the veteran newsman and author. When I asked if he cracked political jokes – about George Bush, Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton, Goldberg quickly said no.

“He wouldn’t do that in public,” Goldberg said. That just wouldn’t be like the Russert we all knew from TV. He wasn’t there to flaunt his power, his inside knowledge or his own views. In fact, though he was a one-time Democratic operative, he said publicly when tapped years ago to take over the long-running “Meet the Press” show that his views weren’t important. He simply wanted to learn as much as he could about every candidate, and bring out what he could.

It is a tribute to his character that GOP strategist Dick Wadhams, campaign manager for senate candidate Bob Schaffer, was quoted today as saying Russert was fair. High praise indeed from Wadhams who undoubtedly knew Russert's previous affiliation.

Jolly. Humorous. Hard-working. Fair.

You could also throw in that he was a devoted father – having just returned from celebrating his son’s college graduation – or that he had written a bestseller about his own father. And maybe someone would note the sad irony that he died approaching Father’s Day. My guess is that Russert himself wouldn’t make such a trite link – in part because he wouldn’t want the spotlight on himself.

So let’s just leave it as the impression he gave on TV – passionate, a little rumpled maybe with hair poking up like he didn't have time for make-up, and humorous. I wish, though, I’d been able to see him as Goldberg and others did – up close. And jolly.