The Humble Moderator's Grand Goodbye

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Tim Russert's Son Speaks at His Funeral

Luke Russert, Tim Russert's son, speaks last at Russert's funeral in Washington.

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"Who's the guy next to him?" asked another, eyeing Bob Woodruff. "He's a personality, too."

"They said there's going to be 100 limousines coming from NBC," said the first neighbor.

As the casket was carried up the steps of Holy Trinity, Matt Lauer reached out to put a hand on the shoulder of the widow, Maureen Orth. Tom Brokaw opened the service: "Tim was raised, as we all know, in a small house in Buffalo."

Later, after McCarrick spoke about the "tributes that have come from some of the highest authorities in our nation," Luke Russert, fresh out of Boston College, spoke with a poise beyond his 22 years. He asked the mourners to imagine " 'Meet the Press, Special Edition: Live From Inside St. Peter's Gate.' Maybe Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr will be on for the full hour having a debate."

The crowd appreciated that line, as well as Luke's recollection of one of his father's favorite Yogi Berra quotations: 'Always go to other people's funerals; otherwise they won't go to yours."

Russert needn't have worried. After Tynan struck up "Danny Boy" and the piper piped, the powerful of Washington walked down the church steps to join the swarming Secret Service agents and the idling sedans.

Jack Welch had his arm around Lauer, who hopped in a car with Bryant Gumbel. Cuomo walked out with E.J. Dionne, Ben Bradlee with Sally Quinn, Campbell Brown with Dan Senor, Gwen Ifill with Pete Williams. As Brian Williams searched for his driver, the crowd searched for familiar faces: Maureen Dowd (in sunglasses), Wolf Blitzer, Andrea Mitchell, Margaret Carlson, Chris Matthews, Ted Koppel, Peter King.

The white-robed clerics sprinkled holy water on the casket as it returned to the hearse. Men wearing earpieces waved the Town Cars on in an attempt to break the sedan logjam. Georgetown residents snapped pictures.

"I can honestly say Matt Lauer is the sexiest man alive," one woman announced. She then considered the setting. "I'll burn for that," she said.