Tony Snow dies of cancer; ex-Bush press secretary was 53

After a long, candid and public battle with colon cancer, former White House press secretary and television-radio host Tony Snow died early this morning.

Snow died about 2 a.m. EDT in Georgetown University Hospital. He was 53 and is survived by his wife, Jill Ellen Walker, and their three children: Kendall, Robbie and Kristi.

A video segment about his death is available by clicking the Read more line below.

Snow previously served as chief speechwriter 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, typically not blaming his disease but saying with his cancer he needed to ...

... earn more for his family than the job's $168,000 salary. He was succeeded by Dana Perino.

Snow 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, Md., Bush said he and Laura were "deeply saddened."

"America has lost a devoted public servant and a man of character," the president 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."

In a telephone interview this morning with the Fox News Channel, former George H.W. Bush praised his top speechwriter and said: "He wrote it the way he thought I'd want to say it. I'm not Glowing Rhetorical Guy, so he'd have to downgrade some of his own wonderful way with words." Barbara Bush then got on the phone, but choked up.

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 the media and explaining his boss' positions.

Karl Rove, Bush's counselor and chief political strategist, was traveling in the Crimea this morning when contacted by cellphone. "Oh, no!" he said. 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.

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 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, while in Ohio, he was again admitted to a hospital and was told that he could not travel for some time. Still, he was known to call friends and inquire after their health.

"Fox News Sunday" will have a special tribute to its initial host Sunday with Snow's friend Brit Hume as substitute host for Chris Wallace.

"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 as if he really meant it.

(UPDATE: A memorial service for Snow is scheduled for 10 a.m. Eastern Thursday at Catholic University’s National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.)

-- Andrew Malcolm

Photo credits: The White House

Comments

[infocyde]

Regardless of my political beliefs, it is sad to see a Father of three taken while still so young. My prayers are with his family.

[Ben Waldon]

This is a real shame. Mr Snow had so much articulation and grace in the way he presented himself. Our country lost a patriot.

[Suzette Blair]

I try very hard to get to know Obama, I cannot trust the empty words that come out of his mouth,I see him as phoney and opportunis; he is very transparent and lacks esperience in soving problems. He has so many regrets on so many issues that put me in a very questionable positions .
What kind of judgement and reasoning to use his kids to promote himself as a great father???????

[GreatCircle]

That's very sad. I heard him on the radio a while ago, and he seemed like a very personable man.

[Scootmandubious]

Though I obviously did not like Mr. Snow's politics, I did respect him. He died way before his time. My thoughts and sympathy are with his family. May he rest in peace.

[billy brigg]

You will be missed Tony! May God bless your family.

[Efrain Rojas]

There is special place in hell for Mr. Snow. As a co-conspirator of the Bush administration, I have no special sympathy for him. I only wish his suffering were more prolonged.

[Rodney Edmundso]

I did not agree with him most of the time but he was a very nice guy

[Bush hater]

When I heard Tony Snow had died I felt very bad. As much as he sold his soul to shill and lie for the country's worst president, I always liked Snow, his cheerful disposition and respected his bravery in his fight with cancer. My first thought was, How come it couldn't have happened to someone really evil like Dick Cheney? It's ironic that all the TV news reports about Snow's passing were immediately followed by reports of Cheney's annual physical and heart test. The media must have had the same thoughts.

[Jim]

One of the truly good people on this earth.

God Bless and Rest In Peace

[Star Mingus]

I guess now we know that lying causes cancer.

[Chad]

The question begs to be asked, is it possible to die when you don't have a soul.

[Jack Mayhoffer]

The one likeable guy on Fix news. Bummer...

[Schigolch]

After fifty years of breakthroughs in cancer research, this is where we are.

[robt517]

Tony Snow was a lying right wing propagandist on radio, Fox and in print well before he got to the White House, as official Press Liar for the Bush administration. He earned his reactionary stripes early by helping gin up the Lewinski malarki in '97-98 via Lucianne Goldberg, the horrible right wing screed writer. I'm terribly sorry for Snow's young family, of course, and worst enemies should not be wished his fate. But karma is a bitch, is it not?

[Melainie Samson]

I hope he suffered at the end. Just a terrible person.

[Drew]

I am sad to see another human being die, however, he was a liar like the rest of the Administration.

[NormK]

I'm a democrat and can honestly say that I will miss Tony. Great writer and speaker, a combination you normally do not find together. Add to that his quick wit and humor, and his love of life and his family. He is a man that stands on his own and will be missed.

[Joe Suarez]

It's sad to see what some people write about someone who has just died. They don't have the courage to write their true name so others can see what idiots they are. Wait until they die and their loved ones have to grieve.

Why do so many people put so much emphasis on being a liberal or a conservative? It will make no difference when you are in hell or heaven.

[Jack]

Now you know why people don't like liberals... just full of hate.

[Alex O'Neal]

Have a little compassion, people! While I disagreed with his politics and his work as White House press secretary, it's cruel and callous to use someone's death by cancer (and his family's loss) as an opportunity to make an easy jab at the administration. Those who leave such comments are putting themselves on a level with schoolyard bullies.

I hope Snow's passing was as peaceful and easy as possible. I wish his family well as they grapple with their loss.

[zoeynews]

I am truly saddened by many of the comments on this page. While I did not admire Tony Snow's political views, I was always impressed by his intellect, style and quick wit. He gave many reporters a run for their money, and his appearances on the Daily Show were always a treat. My thoughts are with his family.

[jjohannson]

Snow was a happy warrior against the cancer that took his life, and as a public persona no doubt lifted the spirits of those directly or tangentially affected by his disease.

Mr. Malcolm should not extend to Snow the respect he deserves for this particular grace to the balance sheet of his professional life. He practiced a cynical brand of non-journalism in unflagging support of a terrible president, a debauched administration, and a toxic brew of domestic and international policy prescriptions that is gravely sickening this nation.

These two paragraphs by Malcolm dance around the catastrophes and cynicism Snow fueled as press secretary --

"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's positions.

"Karl Rove, Bush's counselor and chief political strategist, was traveling in the Crimea this morning when contacted by cellphone. 'Oh, no!' he said. Having direct access to the president like Rove was a key demand of Snow's before accepting the job on April 26, 2006 and beginning work on May 6."

In the first paragraph, it goes unstated that Snow stonewalled the press corps on any number of vital issues, in service of the most secretive administration in modern times. "Sparring" does not properly characterize this tension. "Unconstitutional obstruction" comes closer.

In the second paragraph, why might Tony Snow have demanded direct access to the president as a pre-condition for taking the press secretary job? Could it be that his immediate predecessor, Scott McClellan, was hung out to dry by Karl Rove, Scooter Libby, and the Office of the Vice President, and put in deep legal and professional jeopardy? Umm... why, yes, that seems quite plausible.

So, in your appreciation, Mr. Malcolm, perhaps you could try a little harder to separate Mr. Snow's dignity at the end from his fundamentally mean and wrongheaded professional comportment. Your appreciation of his life is disserved by anything other than a plain summary of his public impacts.

[Kathleen]

I love Tony so much, am crying my eyes out. One of the most decent, good people I've ever encountered in this life. God bless your soul, Tony, may you Rest in Peace. I will say Mass for you tomorrow. May the Lord be with your loving family at this sorrowful time.

[Tom from Texas]

Thank you G*d.
Only 99 more of them to go.