News (sorta): Tim Russert and the "Meet the Press" theme

Tim Russert, host of "Meet the Press," passed away recently. Oddly enough, while I have seen bits and pieces of the show, I mostly remember the bombastic theme music, composed by none other than Mr. John Williams. The piece is titled "Pulse of Events."

Every time I hear it, it brings to mind images of Cold War nuclear silos and tense standoffs between world leaders. The music seems to imply that the fate of the world depends on what is going to be said in the next half hour. Here's a sample opening from an episode of the show so you can see what I mean:



As for Russert himself, I think he did a decent enough job. I never really knew the man or followed "Meet the Press," but I never heard of Russert doing anything untoward in his role as an interviewer and journalist, a trait that is becoming increasingly rare in these post-Rathergate times.