Tim Russert Died, Coronary Thrombosis Is the Death Cause

Tim Russert, NBC News' influential political commentator, died Friday, June 13, 2008, of a massive heart attack when he was recording voice for this Sunday's "Meet The Press".

NBC News Senior Vice President and Washington Bureau Chief Tim Russert Photo
Tim Russert, NBC News' Senior Vice President and Washington Bureau Chief delivers an address at Harvard University in Cambridge, Mass on June 8, 2005. In May, he first "sentenced" Senator Hillary Clinton's predential campaign was over.(Picture credit: Elise Amendola/AP)

Russert, who previously was diagnosed with asymptomatic coronary artery disease, was 58 years old young. According to Michael Newman, Russert's internist,  cholesterol plaque had ruptured in his heart artery, causing him to succumb to the sudden coronary thrombosis.


Tim Russert Death AP report video: President Bush praised the 58-year-old NBC politics pundit in Paris

Speaking of his death at a press conference in Paris, President Bush called Tim Russert was "a hard working, thorough and decent man."