Page 277 - Leadership Lessons of the White House Fellows

BECOMING A WHITE HOUSE FELLOW

afar for many years,” Marenco said. “During the Fellowship selection pro-
cess, I remember being asked which three individuals I would have dinner
with if I could choose anyone. Tim Russert was at the top of my list.” On
Sunday, February 24, 2008, Marenco and her classmates entered the leg-
endary Meet the Press set at WRC 4 Studio A in Washington, D.C., and
watched Russert deftly question Ralph Nader about his role in the 2000
presidential election. For the second half of the show, Russert was joined
for a roundtable discussion by a group of esteemed journalists that included
Doris Kearns Goodwin (WHF 67–68).
“Immediately after the taping, Mr. Russert joined our class for a group
picture by the famous Meet the Press backdrop,” Marenco recalled. “He
then came over to speak with us for a ‘few moments.’ Forty-five minutes
later, he was still fielding our questions and you could visibly see his excite-
ment as he described the never-ending primaries and his anticipation at the
upcoming presidential elections.” Marenco said Russert shared stories about
his family, especially his father, ‘Big Russ,’ and his son, Luke. “Fatherhood
was his greatest joy. He told us about the day Luke got a tattoo. He was
furious until he found out it was a tribute to him and his father—their
shared initials ‘TJR.’ When Luke explained that he always wanted his
father and grandfather on his side, Mr. Russert’s anger gave way to emo-
tion and pride.” Tragically, Marenco’s class would be the final group of Fel-
lows to join Russert on his set. Less than four months after hosting the
White House Fellows with such warmth and generosity, Russert collapsed
and suffered a fatal heart attack while recording voiceovers for an upcom-
ing segment of Meet the Press.

OFF THE RECORD WITH THE PRESIDENT
Every class of Fellows meets with the sitting president as part of its edu-
cation program. Some have that opportunity more than once. President
George W. Bush met at least twice with each class during his tenure.
Founding director Tom Carr estimated that during the Johnson adminis-
tration, the Fellows met with the president up to five times each year as
well as having meetings with the First Lady in the family quarters and lunch
with the Vice President at his home. “The most striking sessions tended to
be those in the evening with the president alone in the White House mess,”
Carr recalled. “These were usually held late in the evening, and they were
long, featuring monologues and sometimes tortured accounts of the day’s

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