The accolades that poured in following word that television journalist Tim Russert had died were more than deserved.

Russert was host of NBC's "Meet the Press," once just another denizen of the Sunday-morning backwater of politics and issues shows.

Under Russert, the show became must-watching for millions of Americans and a mandatory stop for every presidential candidate and, in fact, for anyone trying to get noticed on the national political scene.

Of course, mandatory stops these days also include comedy programs such as Jon Stewart's "The Daily Show" or "Saturday Night Live" as well as the late-night talk shows. It has become a rite of passage for the candidates to good-naturedly take a ribbing.

The emergence of the comedy shows on the political scene is a little bit like old-time Hawai'i politics, when a candidate had to prove he was a good sport by singing or dancing hula at neighborhood campaign rallies.

But "Meet the Press" was different. Its focus wasn't on entertainment for entertainment's sake, although it was always entertaining to watch a politician in full feather get plucked apart by Russert's deeply researched and relentless questioning.

Rather, the attraction was the knowledge that the person appearing on "Meet the Press" would not get away with boilerplate rhetoric or pre-packaged talking points. It may have looked a little bit like "gotcha" journalism, but really it was just Russert demanding the same kind of straight talk we'd want from someone who invited himself into our living room.

But for all the dogged and quality questioning, the real genius of Russert's show was that he made the "game" of politics and public policy entertaining. That's because he enjoyed it so much himself.

Some critics suggested that by turning politics into a kind of sport, Russert demeaned the whole exercise. But that's a bit silly. To folks in the arena, politics is a sport — a full-contact blood sport at that.

In speeches, Russert would worry that there was too much emphasis on the sport of politics and not enough on the issues and how they impact the American people.

But really, he need not have worried. Politics works best when people are paying close attention. When people are actively involved in and — yes, even enjoying — the political process, those who hold office or seek office will respond. They know folks are paying attention.

The worst scenario is when the game of politics is played in a dark corner where no one pays any attention. That happens all too often.

Jerry Burris' column appears Wednesdays in this space. See his blog at http://blogs.honolulu advertiser.com.

Jerry Burris' column appears Wednesdays in this space. See his blog at blogs.honoluluadvertiser.com/akamaipolitics. Reach him at jrryburris@yahoo.com.