Ex-Bush press secretary Tony Snow dies of cancer at 53
After a long, candid and public battle with colon cancer, former White House press secretary and radio talk-show host Tony Snow died early this morning.
Snow died about 2 a.m. EDT in Georgetown University Hospital. He was 53.
Snow previously served as chief speech writer for President George H.W. Bush and as a frequent host on Fox News Channel's "Fox News Sunday," "Weekend Live" and "The O'Reilly Factor."
He also guest-hosted for Rush Limbaugh and had his own radio talk show.
In September after 17 months in the White House job, Snow retired as President George W. Bush's third press secretary, saying that with his cancer he needed to earn more for his family than the job's $168,000 salary. He was succeeded by Dana Perino.
He said he left the press secretary job with regret, calling it "the most exciting, intellectually aerobic job I'm ever going to have."
In an early morning statement issued from his weekend retreat at Camp David, President Bush said he and Laura were "deeply saddened."
"America has lost a devoted public servant and a man of character," Bush said. "It was a joy to watch Tony at the podium each day. He brought wit, grace, and a great love of country to his work."
Popular and inevitably cheerful, even during his draining chemotherapy treatments, Snow was well-liked among the White House press corps, and with the smooth practice of a broadcaster seemed to genuinely enjoy the public sparring with media and explaining his boss' positions.
Karl Rove, Bush's counselor and chief political strategist, was traveling in the Crimea this morning but described himself as devastated at the news. Having direct access to the president like Rove had was a key demand of Snow's before accepting the job on April 26, 2006, and beginning work on May 6.
He succeeded Ari Fleischer and Scott McClellan in that position.
Snow had gone through remission, but the cancer returned and forced another operation. Despite the pain and nausea, he remained optimistic and talked openly on several programs about the experience as an aid and encouragement to other patients.
"I'm a very lucky guy," he would say frequently.
Although he had been ill recently, friends did not know the end was near. So the news was particularly stunning to those who knew the tall fellow with the large grin.
Just three months ago, CNN announced that Snow would join that network as a conservative commentator. The Kentucky native graduated from Davidson College in 1977.
Robert Anthony Snow was born June 1, 1955, in Berea. His father, Jim, was a social studies teacher and assistant principal in the Cincinnati suburbs, and Snow's mother worked as a nurse in the inner city. She too died of colon cancer when Tony was 17.
Snow was also a newspaper veteran, having written for a variety of smaller dailies before becoming deputy editorial page editor at the Detroit News and then editorial page editor of the Washington Times.
He also wrote a nationally syndicated column for Creators Syndicate from 1993 to 2000 that appeared in more than 200 newspapers across the country.
In April the Associated Press reported that Snow was admitted to a hospital in Spokane, Wash., with an undisclosed illness, and his speaking engagements were canceled. A month later he was again admitted to an Ohio hospital while traveling and told that he could not travel for some time.
"I'll miss it," Snow told reporters at his final White House briefing on Sept. 13. "I love these briefings." And it sounded to those professional skeptics like he really meant it.
For the full statement by President Bush, read the full story...
--Andrew Malcolm
Photo credit: The White House
This item on Tony Snow is cross-posted from the Top of the Ticket politics blog.
For Immediate Release July 12, 2008
STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT
Laura and I are deeply saddened by the death of our dear friend, Tony Snow. Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife, Jill, and their children, Kendall, Robbie, and Kristi. The Snow family has lost a beloved husband and father. And America has lost a devoted public servant and a man of character.
Tony was one of our Nation’s finest writers and commentators. He earned a loyal following with incisive radio and television broadcasts. He was a gifted speechwriter who served in my father’s Administration. And I was thrilled when he agreed to return to the White House to serve as my Press Secretary. It was a joy to watch Tony at the podium each day. He brought wit, grace, and a great love of country to his work. His colleagues will cherish memories of his energetic personality and relentless good humor.
All of us here at the White House will miss Tony, as will the millions of Americans he inspired with his brave struggle against cancer. One of the things that sustained Tony Snow was his faith – and Laura and I join people across our country in praying that this good man has now found comfort in the arms of his Creator.
# # #
Even as a staunch democrat, I always want to hear what the other side is saying so I can form an intelligent opinion. For one who prides myself on rationally weighing both sides of an issue and not just blindly disagreeing, Tony Snow was one of the only Republicans who I could listen to who formed a rational position from that side of the fence. Even though I disagreed with his positions most of the time, I loved the intelligence and clarity with which he delivered those positions. He was one of the only bright spots in an otherwise embarrassing administration. My condolences to his family and friends.
Posted by: Phil | July 12, 2008 at 05:21 PM
"People" such as Geral and WokeUp, with their bitter, hateful remarks, only show with glaring clarity, that the collective stupidity of the whiny, Anti-America/Anti-American, knee-jerk, bleeding-heart (only for their own evidently), uber liberal Democrat Party is surpassed ONLY by their incredible and mind numbing intellectual dishonesty. I'm sure that Tony would admonish me for saying that, but I cannot let those kinds of disgusting and disturbing remarks go unresponded to.
That being said, to the family and friends of Tony Snow, I personally want to pass along my deepest sympathies and heartfelt condolances to you all. Tony was a great man who could make anyone smile and who never lowered himself into the mud that so many lived in when it came to partisan politics.
You will be deeply missed here on Earth, Tony, but Heaven is a far better place with you in it and I look forward to meeting you there someday.
God Speed Mr. Snow.
Posted by: Thirteenburn | July 13, 2008 at 01:06 PM
(Yes, why cant we all respect each other like Thirteenburn obviously does)
"Never lowered himself in the mud"? No, but he put a lot of others in their graves by promoting the policies of Bush and his ilk.
Tony Snow was mouthpiece for a war criminal.
Posted by: Michael | July 13, 2008 at 05:21 PM