WASHINGTON, June 13 (Xinhua) -- Former NBC TV host Tim Russert, who has acquainted Americans for his prominent weekly program, "Meet the Press," died of an apparent heart attack on Friday. The NBC's Washington Bureau Chief collapsed at work and was immediately taken to the Washington's Sibley Memorial Hospital, where he died at 58, the hospital confirmed.

NBC newsman Tim Russert relates how excited his nine year old son was when he learned Russert would be appearing with actress Pamela Anderson as guests on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" during a taping at NBC studios in Burbank, California, in this April 12, 2005 file photo. Russert has died from an apparent heart attack, according to media reports on June 13, 2008. He was 58.

At hearing the news, President George W. Bush sent condolence from Italy to Russert's family, saying he was a tough and hardworking newsman. "He was an institution in both news and politics for more than two decades," Bush said in a statement. "He was always well-informed and thorough in his interview."

Both of two presidential candidates, Barack Obama and John McCain, who have appeared in TV debates Russert moderated, expressed their sorrow at Russert's death.

Born in 1950 in Buffalo, New York state, Russert won a law degree and has served as an aide to a late Democratic Senator.

Republican presidential candidate U.S. Senator John McCain (R-AZ) speaks to host Tim Russert (R) on Meet the Press in Manchester, New Hampshire, in this Jan. 6, 2008 file photo.

He joined the NBC in 1984 and took the helm of "Meet the Press" in December 1991. Under his watch, the program became one of the most widely watched of its type in the United States and he also established himself as the face of the network's political coverage. Apart from "Meet the Press," Russert also appeared in many other news shows, hosted numerous political debates and wrote two best-selling books.

In 2008, he was named by the Time Magazine as one of the 100 most influential people in the world.

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