Bushes attend Russert wake

WASHINGTON, June 17 (UPI) -- U.S. President George Bush and his wife Laura attended a wake in Washington Tuesday for Tim Russert, moderator of NBC "Meet the Press" who died Friday.

The Bushes and other members of the White House staff paid their respect at St. Albans School, where the wake was held in the dining hall.

"As he said from his trip, the president was fond of Tim Russert and (Tuesday) he wanted to pay his respects and offer his deepest sympathies to the Russert family by attending the wake at St. Albans," White House press secretary Dana Perino said.

Russert, a Buffalo, N.Y., native who this year was named one of the 100 most influential people in the world by Time Magazine, was also NBC News' Washington bureau chief.