LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- Luke Russert, son of journalist Tim Russert, was part of a panel Wednesday that discussed youth voting on CNN's "Larry King Live."



Luke Russert says dinner table political discussions were part of his upbringing.



Besides the youth vote, Russert discussed his father's death, his upbringing and his own future in journalism and political commentary.



Tim Russert, 58, was the host of NBC's "Meet the Press" and one of America's leading political journalists. He died of a heart attack after collapsing at the network's Washington bureau on June 13.



The following is an edited version of the show's transcript.  Watch video of the discussion »



Larry King: How did you learn of your dad's passing?



Luke Russert: I was in Florence, and I was at an Italian sports bar watching the Italy versus Romania game, and I got a call from my dad's secretary that said he had fainted, and could I get in touch with my mother.



Luckily, I was right across the street from the hotel where my mom was. I ran up to her room and said, "Dad has fainted." And we kind of learned in increments of what exactly happened.



So it was basically about a half-hour after first hearing that he fainted that we actually knew he collapsed and had a heart attack. And at first, I was upset that I was so far away and removed. And I really wanted to be there.



But in reality, it was really a blessing to be an ocean away, because it allowed my mother and me to have some real private time to collect our thoughts, to grieve in private, and not be inundated with all the media coverage and all the phone calls.



So, you know, it was something that -- it was difficult, but to have that little cocoon, I think my mother and I really used it to our benefit.



King: Must have been a long flight back.



Russert: It was. It was a long nine-hour flight. But my mother has been so strong through this. And my family has been there for me every step of the way. My girlfriend has been wonderful. So I can't thank everybody enough. And obviously this happened, but it has made it a lot easier to have such good friends at NBC and all through Washington and my family personally.



King: Were you brought up talking politics?



Russert: I was. It was always something that was always talked around the dinner table with my father and my mother from a very young age. One of my earliest memories is being a young toddler and remembering Ronald Reagan's face on television. My dad was watching a press conference, most likely at that time on CNN.



And it was just something that I always grew up around. And we also talked a lot of sports. We talked a lot of culture. But politics was something that I guess has been engrained in me at a very, very young age.



King: Did he pick the brains of you and your friends?



Russert: He did. We would actually have some fun discussions where I would assume the role of who his guest would be on Sunday and try to answer the questions that he threw at me. And sometimes, if I could answer a question pretty well, he'd say, "That question's too easy, I've got to get rid of it."



So sometimes, I was a guinea pig for politicians. But it was a lot of fun. I enjoyed doing it. And he would also pick the brains of some of my friends. Some did pretty well, and some didn't. But he was always kind to all of us.



King: When did you first vote?



Russert: I first voted when I was 18, which would have been 2004. And I registered at the same time I registered for the Selective Service, which I think they do here in the District of Columbia
What did Russert say? Who did he thank for helping? Who said it felt greta to vote? What "was just something that I always grew up around"? Who learned of his father's death? Who says he learned of his father's death while he was in Italy? Who did he thank? Who thanks family, friends for helping him get through trying times? Where did Luke Russert say he learned of this father's death?
dinner table political discussions were part of his upbringing. everybody Luke Russert politics Luke Russert, Luke Russert everybody Luke Russert, in Florence,
question: What did Russert say?, answer: dinner table political discussions were part of his upbringing. | question: Who did he thank for helping?, answer: everybody | question: Who said it felt greta to vote?, answer: Luke Russert | question: What "was just something that I always grew up around"?, answer: politics | question: Who learned of his father's death?, answer: Luke Russert, | question: Who says he learned of his father's death while he was in Italy?, answer: Luke Russert | question: Who did he thank?, answer: everybody | question: Who thanks family, friends for helping him get through trying times?, answer: Luke Russert, | question: Where did Luke Russert say he learned of this father's death?, answer: in Florence,