He had the screenings and actually caught it fairly early. He was just one of the tragic victims. It's really bummed me out this weekend. I've been a huge fan of his since his days with the elder Bush.
He broke new ground during his stint as Press Secretary to George W. He would call out individual reporters on their bullsh*t, their partisan bias, and do with such grace and panache. I'll never forget this exchange with David Gregory in the press room. It was one of the best moments when he called him out for grandstanding and told him that he could tone it down since the cameras weren't running. It was classic how he put that tool of a journalist in his place.
From my experience of watching him over the years, you could just tell he was a man of honor, always respectful, yet his own man who followed his own instincts. He never just followed the talking points. It's a great loss. He's the type of guy you wish you could've known.
Losing Tony and Tim Russert has left a huge hole that won't soon be filled.
