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

[Dr.Banks]

Early this morning i wrote of my feelings when thinking about Tony Snow's passing. Reading successive responses, one's intellect is assaulted by the viciousnes and meaness of liberals who support this politician, Obama, who purports to wish to be a healer and uniter. The move-on-dot-org lunatic fringe do not want reproachment with anyone. Obviously these uncouth lowlifes want only their Marsist dreams. Decent people need to unite against them and thier shadowy candidate. Tony's passing, it seems, has helped once again to expose the vitriol. Have they no shame?

[larry]

RIP vs RIW.
Generally speaking, when a Liberal died, he/she died in peace. When a Republcan died, he/she died in war.

[RB]

goodbye Snowjob - I will not miss you at all.

[Winston Crow]

It would be nice for once to see more decency in some of the comments on this child of God (as we all are). Can't we rise above politics and just love one other as we are called to do? God rest your soul, Tony. The fight is over and the victory is won.

A Believer

[Tom from Toronto]

I'm what might be termed a "liberal", but I admired and respected Tony Snow. When he argued for a position, you knew it wasn't just from the talking points, but from conviction.

I always thought it was a classless move on FOX's part when they moved Tony off of Fox News Sunday in favour of Chris Wallace.

All all-round good guy.

[Shirley]

It sickens me to read the venom spewing out of some people. Their hatred has truly warped their minds.

Tony Snow's faith was an inspiration to me and all who knew him. We know he is in God's loving care. I pray for his family and all who loved him. What a legacy he left!

[William Straub]

Tony Snow was an enabler of the most corrupt administration this country has ever known. I feel for his family, but I still say good riddance to all liars.

[mitch]

It's amazing - many of the commenters here are so easily able to ignore the things Snow did in his life, just because he died. I have all the sympathy in the world for his friends and family, BUT THE MAN"S JOB WAS TO WHITEWASH BUSH AND CHENEY'S MURDEROUS WAR FOR OIL. He may have been a great father, husband and all the rest, but he was an integral part of the America Murder Machine. I hope he has found the peace that he worked so hard to take from the rest of the world.

[Reasonable not hateful]

To those of you making the hateful comments, your comments speak more of your lack of upbringing and class then they do of Tony Snow. It's pretty trashy.

Tony, Rest in peace.

[garrett]

I don't like anyone dying. I also refuse to deify anyone just because they happened to get a certain disease and die from it. Tony Snow seemed like a pretty affable fellow.

I do find it rather odd and sad that someone that seemed as nice as he was found his job as being the spokesperson for president George W. Bush fulfilling and "intellectually aerobic" when what he was basically doing was lying in creative ways and evading certain questions the press corps had, thereby also lying to and stonewalling the American People about the policies of George W. Bush's administration that people had the right to know about.

I would hope he would have some regrets about some of the disinformation he provided America about the reasons for going to war, how the war was going, and what the administration's plans were to address the challenges our country faced during critical times.

It makes me wish I could read his diary or overhear things he told his wife and family about the way he felt about having to say (or not say) about certain subjects that he had to tow the administration's line on. Maybe he thought he was doing what was best for the American People, however paternalistic that may be to many of us individuals. Who knows?

All the people judging him and calling him out as a criminal and taking pleasure from his death I think is a bit harsh on the guy. However, many people have reason to be bitter at the administration as many people have had loved ones die in the war Tony Snow had to go up on a podium many days to defend while "only" making $168,000 a year for it. That leads me to think that if he hadn't been stricken with cancer, the reason he chose to be spokesperson was for higher political appointments in the future for himself, not because it was fulfilling for him as a person (there is absolutely nothing wrong with those aspirations in and of itself).

Once he realized he only had so much longer to live and those goals wouldn't be realized, he maximized his income for his family by going back to cable news.

Let's leave it to God to judge him.

[Seni]

Tony Snow,
I will miss you. May God keep your family strong in this time of sadness. To those who blog here and show so much disrespect for Tony Snow and his family, I say to you. May God forgive you and teach you how to live. Peace on earth cannot be found until we meet on common ground, and every man becomes a brother, who worships God and loves each other.
Seni.

[Democrats 08]

Though I loathe Republicans for all they have done to ruin the lives of so many people and destroy our once great country, Tony Snow seemed half way decent for a Republican. 53 is young and cancer sucks, sad to hear he lost his fight. It should have been the idiot Bush, think of all the lives that would improve instantly with that stupid idiot gone. Bush is a cancer himself to the world.

[Hell’s Receptionist]

Welcome, Mr. Snow. I believe your roommate, Mr. Helms, has already arrived.

[Gil Payne]

First of all, my condolences to Mr. Snows' family He appeared to be a very decent human being. I also think that he was missplaced as press secretary because he was just too nice. Got to remember that as press secretary you're serving at the pleasure of the President.

[Sil Tuppins]

Tony was good at what he did. Unlike McEllan, he could fib with a smile on his face, it bothered Scott to mislead. One correction on the article, he was not a newspaperman, he was a conservative commentator/opinion writer (spin guy). He never ran down a story or really did reporting. His job was to ensure the truth that hurt never got any traction. Again he did his job well.

[GWB]

Wheew. No memoir from this guy!

[ROGER]

ANUDDER ENABLER BIT THE DUST

[Victor]

Tony Snow was a good speaker and I enjoyed watching him as WH Spokesperson. It's interesting to read all the hateful comments here but it just proves that conservatives and liberals are exactly the same (just like democrats and republicans). If a liberal died, conservatives would writing the same filth you see here. What a shame.

[John Sullivan]

In February, 2006 my own Dad found out he was going to die of lung cancer. Found out the same day Dana Reeve died after battling it for six months. Somehow beat it, even though on his death bed in ICU by August 2006. Was strenghened greatly by personal encouragement of Tony Snow. Now my Dad who beat lung cancer by radiation of a non-op tumor there has one splitting his brain apart, yet he still has his senses, even if he can't walk well and can't drive or ride his bicycle. My Dad is now in his final weeks now - if not days, and I know that after getting so much encouragement from Tony Show over the years this just news just might do him in. My Dad really liked Tim Russert and Tony Snow, who are working with God on a strategy from there to get our good troops home from Earth to heaven, and I'm afraid my Dad is probably going to be one of the first called home. I can't thank Tony Snow enough, for like my Dad he was always more optimisitic on his worst days than I could ever be on my best.

[gundumma]

good riddance

[gundumma]

the world is now a slightly better place

[Elizabeth]

Tony Snow showed the world a level of integrity, candor and intelligence that is often missing in our world and certainly in the media. We have all learned many valuable lessons about how to be positive in a very negative world and even when delivering challenging messages. He dies within 24 hours of two other legends, Sir John Templeton and Dr. DeBakey.

Sadly, while we all miss a great media personality, he has three children who are missing their dad.

[Bill Burkholder]

Tony was a classmate of mine at Davidson. I'm deeply saddened by his death. He was not always a conservative, folks! His yearbook picture our senior year made him look like a hippie freak.

When Tony visited the Soviet Union to cover its fall back in the Reagan administration, he got an eyeful of what socialism/communism can (not) do. He came back to the USA a changed man.

His commitment to the conservative cause was deep and genuine. Having listened to him in many different forums, and having known him as a liberal student, I can say that he was always a kind, decent, and warm-hearted person who was passionately American.

Those of you who would condemn him in death for his political associations don't have a clue. We need more genuine, articulate, analytical thinkers like Tony Snow to make it into positions of influence.

[mari]

I am astonished at the vile comments made about Tony Snow's passing. I didn't agree with his politics but, really, there is nothing lower than vilifying someone who died (too young) of cancer. How sad that so many fellow Americans have sunk so low!

[Vikter]

I will not miss Tony Snow. I feel bad for his family & happy our country.