Tony Snow 1150269 225884379 2008-07-15T21:17:47Z Calbaer 653042 /* Illness and death */ Correction: CNN quotes GHW Bush, not GW Bush {{pp-semi-vandalism|expiry=August 1, 2008|small=yes}} {{Recent death|Snow, Tony|date=July 2008}} {{Infobox Politician | name = Tony Snow | image = Tony Snow cropped.jpg | width = 250 px | caption = Snow during a White House briefing in 2006. | small_image = | order = 26<sup>th</sup> | office = White House Press Secretary | term_start = [[May 8]] [[2006]] | term_end = [[September 14]] [[2007]] | president = [[George W. Bush]] | predecessor = [[Scott McClellan]] | successor = [[Dana Perino]] | birth_date = {{birth date|1955|6|1}} | birth_place = [[Berea, Kentucky]], [[United States|USA]] | death_date = {{death date and age|2008|7|12|1955|6|1}} | death_place = [[Georgetown, Washington, D.C.|Georgetown]], [[Washington, D.C.]] | party = [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] | relations = | spouse = Jill Ellen Walker (married 1987) | children = 2 daughters, 1 son | residence = | occupation = [[News anchor]], [[radio personality|radio host]], [[White House Press Secretary]] | religion = [[Roman Catholic]] | signature = | website = | footnotes = }} '''Robert Anthony Snow''' ([[June 1]] [[1955]] – [[July 12]] [[2008]]) was an [[United States|American]] [[political commentator]], [[television news]] [[news presenter|anchor]], [[syndicated columnist]], [[radio personality|radio host]], and the third [[White House Press Secretary]] under [[President of the United States|President]] [[George W. Bush]]. Snow also worked for President [[George H. W. Bush]] as chief speechwriter and Deputy Assistant of Media Affairs. Snow served as White House Press Secretary from May 2006 until his resignation effective September 2007. Between his two [[White House]] stints, Snow was a [[Presenter|broadcaster]] and [[newspaper]] [[columnist]]. After years of regular guest-hosting for ''[[The Rush Limbaugh Show]]'' and providing news commentary for [[National Public Radio]], he launched his own [[talk radio]] program, ''The Tony Snow Show'', which went on to become nationally [[Television syndication|syndicated]]. He was also a regular personality on [[Fox News Channel]] since 1996, hosting ''[[Fox News Sunday]]'' and ''[[Weekend Live]]'', and often substituting as host of ''[[The O'Reilly Factor]]''. In April 2008, Snow briefly joined [[CNN]] as a commentator.<ref>{{cite news |title=Former White House Press Secretary Tony Snow joins CNN |url=http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/04/21/former-white-house-press-secretary-tony-snow-joins-cnn/|publisher=CNN|date=2008-04-21 |accessdate=2008-07-12 }}</ref> ==Early life, family and interests== Snow was born in [[Berea, Kentucky]], and raised in [[Cincinnati, Ohio]]. His father, Jim, taught [[social studies]] and was an assistant principal at [[Princeton High School (Sharonville, Ohio)|Princeton High School]] in suburban Cincinnati, from which his son graduated. His mother was an inner-city nurse who died of [[colon cancer]] in 1973 when Snow was 17 years old. After graduating from Princeton High School in [[Sharonville, Ohio]], Snow obtained his [[Bachelor of Arts]] in [[philosophy]] from [[Davidson College]] in 1977. Snow was an avid musician. He played the [[trombone]], [[flute]], [[piccolo]], [[accordion]], [[saxophone]] and [[guitar]], and belonged to a cover band, Beats Workin', which featured fellow [[Washington, D.C.|Washington]]-area professionals. Beats Workin' played publicly with a number of rock bands, including Snow's friends [[Jeff 'Skunk' Baxter|Skunk Baxter]] ([[The Doobie Brothers]], [[Steely Dan]]) and [[Ian Anderson (musician)|Ian Anderson]] of [[Jethro Tull (band)|Jethro Tull]]. He was featured on an episode of [[VH1 Classic]]'s [[Rock 'n Roll Fantasy Camp]].<ref>http://www.beatsworkinmusic.com/</ref> ==Early career== Snow began his [[newspaper]] career in 1979 as an editorial writer for ''The Greensboro Record'' in [[North Carolina]], next working as an editorial writer at ''[[The Virginian-Pilot]]'' in [[Norfolk, Virginia]] (1981&ndash;82), editorial page editor of ''The Daily Press'' in [[Newport News]] (1982&ndash;84), deputy editorial page editor of ''[[The Detroit News]]'' (1984&ndash;87) and editorial page editor of ''[[The Washington Times]]'' (1987&ndash;91). Also, ''The Detroit News'' published his commentary from 1993 to 2000, and he was a Counterpoint Columnist for ''[[USA Today]]'' from 1994 to 2000. Snow also wrote a [[Print syndication|syndicated]] column for [[Creators Syndicate]] between 1993 and 2000. As a nationally syndicated columnist, his commentaries appeared in more than 200 newspapers nationwide. Snow won numerous awards during his print career, including citations from the [[Virginia Press Association]], the [[Detroit Press Club]], the [[Society of Professional Journalists]], the [[American Society of Newspaper Editors]], The Associated Press and [[Gannett]]. He appeared on radio and television programs worldwide including ''[[The McLaughlin Group]]'', ''[[The MacNeil/Lehrer Report|The MacNeil&ndash;Lehrer NewsHour]]'', ''[[Face the Nation]]'', ''[[Crossfire (TV series)|Crossfire]]'', and ''[[Good Morning America]]''. Until 1994, Snow was the writer, correspondent and host of the PBS news special ''The New Militant Center''. In 1991, Snow took a [[sabbatical]] from journalism to work in the White House for President [[George H. W. Bush]], first as chief speechwriter (Deputy Assistant to the President for Communications and Director of Speechwriting) and later as Deputy Assistant to the President for Media Affairs (1992&ndash;1993). From 1996 to 2003, he served as the first host of ''[[FOX News Sunday]]'', a Sunday morning interview and roundtable program produced by [[Fox News]], airing on affiliates of the [[Fox Broadcasting Company]] and later in the day on [[Fox News Channel]]. Snow served as the primary guest host of [[Rush Limbaugh]]'s program from the mid-1990s on. He was also a frequent commentator on [[National Public Radio]]. Snow's own ''Tony Snow Show'' on [[Fox News Radio]] premiered in late 2003. It ended when he became White House Press Secretary in April 2006. [[Image:Tony snow gwbush scott mcclellan.png|right|thumb|300px|Tony Snow pictured with President [[George W. Bush]] and outgoing [[White House Press Secretary|Press Secretary]] [[Scott McClellan]].]] [[Image:Perino - Bush - Snow 20070831-6 p083107cg-0044jpg-515h.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Tony Snow pictured with President [[George W. Bush]] and Deputy Press Secretary [[Dana Perino]].]]{{Wikinews|Tony Snow, former White House Press Secretary and "Fox News Sunday" anchor, dies at age 53}} ==Return to the White House== In April 2006, Snow was named White House Press Secretary to replace [[Scott McClellan]] in the [[George W. Bush]] administration. His appointment to the position was formally announced on [[April 26]] [[2006]]. The position of [[White House Press Secretary]] has historically been filled by individuals from [[news media]] backgrounds. His selection as press secretary was initially criticized because of some of his past comments about Bush.<ref name="thinkprogress">{{cite web | url = http://thinkprogress.org/2006/04/25/snow-on-bush/ | title = Tony Snow On President Bush: ‘An Embarrassment,’ ‘Impotent,’ ‘Doesn’t Seem To Mean What He Says’ | date = [[April 25]] [[2006]] | accessdate = 2007-07-21 | publisher = Think Progress }}</ref> Bush acknowledged Snow's prior criticisms during the announcement of his appointment, stating that Snow was "not afraid to express his own opinions".<ref name="Dodge&Murray">{{cite web | last = Dodge | first = Catherine | coauthors = Brendan Murray | url = http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000103&sid=aPB0cCQxiemQ&refer=us | title = Bush Picks Fox News's Snow as White House Spokesman | publisher = Bloomberg.com | date = [[April 26]] [[2006]] | accessdate = 2007-07-21 }}</ref> Snow began his new press secretary duties on [[May 8]] [[2006]]. On [[July 3]] [[2007]], Snow had a combative press conference with White House reporters about the President's decision to [[Commutation of sentence|commute]] a prison term for top Vice-Presidential aide [[Lewis Libby|Irving Lewis "Scooter" Libby]], sentenced to 30 months in prison for obstruction of justice; Bush had once vowed to fire any White House staffer convicted in the case. When Snow denied Libby's commutation was motivated by party politics, one reporter accused Snow of "insulting their intelligence."<ref>[http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2007/07/03/press-corps-during-libby-_n_54804.html Press Corps During Libby Conference: Tony "You're Insulting Our Intelligence"] Huffington Post, July 3, 2007</ref> Snow decided to leave the position of press secretary after new White House [[Chief of Staff]] [[Josh Bolten]] asked all staff members to either commit to staying through the end of Bush's second term or leave by Labor Day of 2007.<ref name="CNN">{{cite web | url = http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/07/12/obit.snow/index.html | date = [[June 12]] [[2008]] | title = Former White House Spokesman Tony Snow Dies | publisher = CNN | accessdate = 2008-07-12 }}</ref> In his final press briefing on [[September 13]] [[2007]], Snow commented that he would miss the duties of the position. "I love these briefings," he said.<ref>{{cite news | last = Baker | first = Peter | url = http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/12/AR2007091202402_pf.html | title = Snow Relishes Final Joust With Reporters | publisher = The Washington Post | date= September 13, 2007 }}</ref> ==Illness and death== In [[February 2005]], while still at Fox News, Snow was diagnosed with cancer in his [[Colon (anatomy)|colon]]. He returned to broadcasting in April 2005 after having surgery.<ref name="Matra">{{cite web | url = http://www.cancerpage.com/news/article.asp?id=8026 | date = [[February 15]] [[2005]] | title = Tony Snow Diagnosed With Colon Cancer | publisher = Matra Healthcare | accessdate = 2007-07-21 }}</ref><ref name="Time">{{cite web |url=http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1187608,00.html | title=Why Bush Chose Tony Snow as His New Spokesman | publisher=Time Magazine | date=2006-04-25 | accessdate=2008-04-25}}</ref> On [[March 23]], [[2007]], after almost a year as press secretary, Snow once again recused himself from work to seek treatment for recurrent cancer.<ref name="Brusk">{{cite web | last = Brusk | first = Steve | url = http://www.cnn.com/POLITICS/blogs/politicalticker/2007/03/white-house-spokesman-snow-faces.html | date = [[March 23]] [[2007]] | title = White House spokesman Snow faces surgery | accessdate = 2007-07-21 }}</ref><ref name="CNN-2007-03-27">{{cite web | url = http://edition.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/03/27/cancer.snow/ | title = White House spokesman's cancer returns | publisher = CNN | date= 2007-03-27 | accessdate = 2007-07-21 }}</ref><ref name="Loven">{{cite web | last = Loven | first = Jennifer | url = http://www.abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory?id=2985152 | title = Tests show Snow's Cancer has returned | accessdate = 2007-03-27 | publisher = Associated Press (via ABC News) }}</ref><ref name="Holland">{{cite web | last = Holland | first = Steve | url = http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSN2713047220070327?feedType=RSS | title = Bush's spokesman Snow has recurrence of cancer | accessdate = 2007-07-21 | publisher = Reuters }}</ref> Treatment for the spreading cancer continued to force periodic absences from his duties in his final few months as press secretary, his subsequent position as a CNN commentator, and his public speaking engagements.<ref>http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2004368770_webtonysnow23m.html/</ref><ref>http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D90UOJEO1&show_article=1</ref> In the early morning of [[July 12]], [[2008]], Snow died at [[Georgetown University Hospital]] as a result of colon cancer that had spread to his liver.<ref>{{cite news |title=Tony Snow, Former White House Press Secretary and FOX News Anchor, Dies at 53 |url=http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,381250,00.html |publisher=FOX News |date=2008-07-12 |accessdate=2008-07-12 }}</ref> Reacting to Snow's death, former President George H. W. Bush lauded what he felt was Snow's ability to bring "a certain civility to this very contentious job."<ref name="CNN">{{cite web | url = http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/07/12/obit.snow/index.html | date = [[June 12]] [[2008]] | title = Former White House Spokesman Tony Snow Dies | publisher = CNN | accessdate = 2008-07-12 }}</ref> ==Career timeline== ===Print=== * ''[[USA Today]]'' Columnist, 1994&ndash;2000 * ''[[The Detroit News]]'' Columnist, 1993&ndash;2000 * ''[[The Washington Times]]'' Editorial Page Editor, 1987&ndash;91 * ''[[The Detroit News]]'' Deputy Editorial Page Editor, 1984&ndash;87 * ''[[The Newport News Daily Press]]'' Editorial Page Editor, 1982&ndash;84 * ''[[The Virginian-Pilot]]'' Editorials writer, 1981&ndash;82 * ''[[Greensboro News & Record|The Greensboro Record]]'' Editorials writer, 1979 * [[Council on Foreign Relations]] ===Radio=== * ''The Tony Snow Show'' (2003&ndash;2006) * [[National Public Radio]] * Guest hosting: ''[[The Rush Limbaugh Show]]'' (1990s), ''[[The Radio Factor]]'' (2008), ''[[Paul Harvey]] News and Comment'' (2008) ===Television=== * ''Weekend Live'' * ''[[Fox News Sunday]]'' 1996&ndash;2003 * ''[[The O'Reilly Factor]]'' ==References== <!--See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Footnotes for an explanation of how to generate footnotes using the <ref(erences/)> tags--> {{Reflist}} ==External links== {{wikiquote}} *[http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2006/04/20060426.html President Announces Tony Snow as Press Secretary], [[White House]] news release *[http://www.jewishworldreview.com/tony/snow.html Tony Snow] at [[Jewish World Review]] *[http://www.ashbrook.org/events/lecture/1995/snow.html Tony Snow 1995 lecture], the John M. Ashbrook Center for Public Affairs at [[Ashland University]] *[http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0811331/ Tony Snow] at [[The Internet Movie Database]] *{{Find A Grave|id=28215159}} {{start box}} {{succession box|before=''None''| title=[[Fox News Sunday]] Anchor|years=1996 &ndash; 2003|after=[[Chris Wallace (journalist)|Chris Wallace]]}} {{succession box|title=[[White House Press Secretary]]|before=[[Scott McClellan]]|after=[[Dana Perino]]|years=2006 &ndash; 2007}} {{end box}} {{WHPS}} {{Persondata |NAME = Snow, Tony |ALTERNATIVE NAMES = Snow, Robert Anthony |SHORT DESCRIPTION = American White House Press Secretary |DATE OF BIRTH = [[June 1]] [[1955]] |PLACE OF BIRTH = [[Berea, Kentucky]], [[United States]] |DATE OF DEATH = [[July 12]] [[2008]] |PLACE OF DEATH = [[Georgetown, Washington, D.C.]], [[United States]] }} {{DEFAULTSORT:Snow, Tony}} [[Category:1955 births]] [[Category:2008 deaths]] [[Category:American columnists]] [[Category:American television journalists]] [[Category:White House Press Secretaries]] [[Category:Fox News Channel]] [[Category:George W. Bush Administration personnel]] [[Category:Kentucky Republicans]] [[Category:Ohio Republicans]] [[Category:Davidson College alumni]] [[Category:People from Cincinnati, Ohio]] [[Category:People from Madison County, Kentucky]] [[Category:Colorectal cancer deaths]] [[Category:American Roman Catholics]] [[Category:Converts to Roman Catholicism]] [[cs:Tony Snow]] [[de:Tony Snow]] [[fr:Tony Snow]] [[nl:Tony Snow]] [[no:Tony Snow]] [[sh:Tony Snow]] [[fi:Tony Snow]] [[sv:Tony Snow]] [[yi:טאני סנאו]]