Those three words, made famous by the late Tim Russert, host of NBC’s Meet the Press, have a special meaning for me. I was in my last year at the University of Florida, covering the 2000 Presidential Election for WUFT-TV when Tim Russert uttered that phrase, “Florida! Florida! Florida!” and wrote it down on his trademark white marker board. That election was significant for many reasons, namely the eventual recount in Florida that determined the outcome. But it was also a defining moment in television news and one that affected me personally and professionally.
I have vivid memories of Tim Russert, tallying the electoral votes with his marker board and helping us all understand what was happening. Tim had a special way about him. As a viewer, I appreciated the way in which he would break down complex situations and make them easier to understand. (The marker board is a perfect example of that.) Viewers could relate to him as well.
As a journalist, a very, very green journalist back in 2000, I was inspired by Tim’s passion for his work. It sure was evident on election night! I remember each and every time they would go back to Tim and his white board; he was perched on the edge of his seat, ready to jump into the discussion and run through different scenarios with his marker.
As a reporter for WUFT-TV back then, I did my first ever “live shot” from the Alachua County Election Commission in Gainesville, FL on election night. I went onto report at WCJB-TV and then WATE-TV here in Knoxville until August of last year when I joined Ackermann PR. Tim’s influence on me as a reporter was significant and shaped the journalist I became, specifically as it relates to how I delivered the news. Since Tim wrote “Florida! Florida! Florida!” on that markerboard, there’s been a push across the industry to make television news clear and easy to understand.
As Tim is laid to rest today, I hope his family knows how many lives he touched and how his work has shaped the careers of others and the industry as a whole. My thoughts and prayers are with them. He will be missed.
