Tim Russert testified under oath that Libby called him to complain about a colleague's news coverage

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http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17042794/

Russert done; government rests in Libby case

Defense expected to called additional journalists to bolster its case


>>>Russert's credibility is under fire because he and Libby tell very different stories about a July 2003 phone call that is at the heart of the case. The question of which to believe could be a critical jury room issue.

Both men agree that Libby called Russert to complain about a colleague's news coverage. Libby says at the end of the call, Russert told him "all the reporters know" that Plame, the wife of a prominent war critic, worked for the CIA. Russert testified that part of the conversation never occurred.<<<

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1. I bet Russert has received a lot of calls from the WH lately n/t

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2. No wonder: Tim's default setting is "off the record"

So when a government official calls him up, steaming mad about some report on NBC (or presumably anywhere else), Tim immediately goes into "Father-Confessor" mode, and lets the official vent all he wants about whatever atrocity, real or imagined, has been perpetrated against the august personages of our rulers. If there's anything worth reporting to the peons, Russert will then, and only then, go on the record with the government official, asking him to repeat as much or as little of his delusional tirade as the official deems fit. I don't know if Russert goes by the dictum of once said, forever recorded, or if he allows a subsequent "tap, tap, no tap-backs" policy should the official later calm down or sober up and decide that his on the record remarks should be off the record again.

Kind of makes you wonder who signs Tim's paychecks, and to whom his primary loyalties are given.