party politics, death, and the city room

within a couple hours of the time of death, the NYT city room had a story up about various local new york politicians' responses to the loss of tim russert—a buffalo man at heart.

it's a good piece, but it raises two interesting questions. why is it that, recently, the NYT city room only seems to be at the forefront of breaking, local new york stories when there's a celebrity death? heath ledger being the other example, of course (and both stories were done by the ever-talented sewell chan).

the other question (which probably has an obvious answer, but should be raised nonetheless): why aren't any of these immediate stories pointing out that his work with moynihan and cuomo were on Democratic campaigns? the obvious answer, of course, is that obits and quasi-obits are no place for partisan bickering... but still, it's a bit misleading to talk so much about his work with those two stalwarts of new york Democratic politics, and not even mention the word, "Democrat." this omission goes for all the stories breaking right now.

let me put it this way: if he were anyone other than a man with a reputation for being non-partisan, would that crucial partisan detail be left out?

ugh i'm probably being a jerk right now.