tony snow dies

[redbull]

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?p...tVwfo&refer=us

Tony Snow, Former Bush Press Secretary, Dies at 53 (Update1)

By Holly Rosenkrantz and Molly Peterson

July 12 (Bloomberg) -- Tony Snow, a former press secretary to President George W. Bush who brought his outspoken style as a Fox News commentator to the White House, died in Washington early today of cancer. He was 53.

``It was a joy to watch Tony at the podium each day,'' Bush said in a statement. ``He brought wit, grace, and a great love of country to his work.''

Snow served as Bush's third press secretary, from April 2006 to September 2007, when he resigned, citing financial considerations. Snow was paid $168,000, much less than he made as a television commentator. Married with three children, he said he took out a loan to work at the White House and the money had run out.

``This job has really been a dream for me and a blast,'' Snow said when he announced his resignation. He was replaced by Dana Perino.

Snow had his cancerous colon removed in 2005, and he said before he took the job as Bush's chief spokesman that his health was not an issue. In late March 2007, he announced he had been diagnosed with a recurrence of cancer and the disease had spread to his liver. Snow lost his mother to colon cancer when he was 17.

Snow worked as a commentator for News Corp.'s Fox News for 10 years before he joined the Bush administration. He was also host of the network's Sunday public affairs program ``Fox News Sunday.'' Prior to joining Fox, Snow was a syndicated columnist for the Detroit News and a columnist for USA Today.

Snow laced his responses to reporters' questions with his unabashed conservative opinions, in contrast to the more measured style of his two predecessors, Ari Fleischer and Scott McClellan.

Philosophy Degree

Born June 1, 1955 in Berea, Kentucky, Robert Anthony Snow was raised in Cincinnati Ohio and educated at Davidson College in North Carolina, where he received a bachelor's degree in philosophy. He taught briefly in Kenya before embarking on a career in journalism as an editorial writer for the Greensboro Record in North Carolina, according to Fox News.

Snow joined the administration of Bush's father, President George H.W. Bush, as director of speechwriting in 1991.

In his spare time, Snow played guitar, saxophone and the flute in an amateur rock-n-roll band called ``Beats Workin'.'' The group billed itself on a Web site as a combination of ``four lawyers, a realtor, a business executive, and a radio and TV political commentator.''

Snow is survived by his wife, Jill Ellen Walker, whom he married in 1987; their son, Robbie; and daughters, Kendall and Kristi.

To contact the reporters on this story: Holly Rosenkrantz in Washington at hrosenkrantz@bloomberg.netMolly Peterson in Washington at mpeterson9@bloomberg.net
Last Updated: July 12, 2008 10:53 EDT

[Future Boy]

wrong board

[homechicago]

he was a decent press secretary. i feel bad for his family and friends. he seemed decent.