Snow Brought a Measure of Dignity to White House

Even as he struggled with cancer, former White House press secretary Tony Snow told reporters: "I'm a very lucky guy."

In fact, George Bush was lucky to have had Snow as his spokesman during the period when it became clear that, while Bush could not renew his failed presidency, he could be less of an embarrassment to himself and his country.

Snow was a true-believer Republican who, to a far greater extent than many of the people around the president, took seriously the work of communicating the ideas and ideals of the Bush-Cheney presidency to the American people.

Before he joined the administration, Snow had bluntly argued in a column that the president's "wavering conservatism has become an active concern among Republicans, who wish he would stop cowering under the bed and start fighting back against the likes of Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi and Joe Wilson."

"The newly passive George Bush has become something of an embarrassment," concluded Snow.

To his credit, Bush's reaction to the criticism was to invite Snow to help him do a better job of explaining his views.

To Snow's credit, he accepted the offer.

The dynamic put Snow in a position to be more than just a mouthpiece. In an administration that has suffered from a surplus of "yes men" and "yes women," the veteran Detroit News writer and Fox News commentator joined Bush's inner circle as someone with self-respect -- and the president's respect.

That made the brief period when Snow served as White House press secretary in 2006 and 2007 a time that saw the administration display a measure of dignity. It was also a time when Bush began to put more distance between himself at the noxious influence of Vice President Cheney -- a process that continues to this day.

No, Snow was not a perfect player. He tangled with my friend Helen Thomas, and he was not above spinning -- as I had to point out more than once.

But Tony Snow was the best spokesman a president like George Bush could ask for -- and a far cry better than Bush could have hoped for at the point when the commentator made the leap from punditry to the podium.

Unlike his predecessor, Scott McClellan, who has acknowledged that he was duped by the sleazier elements (Scooter Libby, Karl Rove, Dick Cheney) in the White House, and his successor, Dana Perino, who might charitably be described as "ridiculous," Snow was a mature adult who was not going to be duped and who cared enough about his reputation to offer up a rare commodity from this administration: honesty.

Snow's death, at age 53, after a long struggle with cancer, robbed the party to which he was resolutely loyal and the movement to which he was sincerely committed of one of its most serious and effective communicators.

George Herbert Walker Bush, with whom Snow worked almost two decades ago, may have said it best when he recalled that, "(Tony Snow) won the respect of even those who violently disagree with the president's proposals and policies. For that I think he'll be remembered. He brought a certain civility to this very contentious job."

One does not need to have agreed with Tony Snow's political views to agree with the former president's assessment.

Comments (19)

1. VERY nice tribute Mr. Nichols. Good job!

   Posted by Benchrest at 07/12/2008 @ 3:52pm

2. Snow appears to have been intelligent, which makes it odd that he was willing to put his mind to the defense of the most duplicitous president we have ever had, who routinely subverted the Cons-tituion he had sworn to serve.

   Only deeply corrupt corporate backing and profoundly dishonest media allowed him to survive.

   Snow lent his talents to both.

   --Villard

   Posted by Villard at 07/12/2008 @ 3:55pm

3. Snow striked me as member of that rare species of conservatives that would never give to swift boat tactics, a honest person.

   Posted by Frank42 at 07/12/2008 @ 6:07pm

4. Somebody correct me if I am wrong, but didn't he once accuse Helen Thomas at a press conference of supporting Hezbollah's view? And what does it say about his credibility as a journalist when he left Fox News to join a Republican administration?

   Posted by blue photon at 07/12/2008 @ 7:46pm

5. wait second, "measure of dignity"?

   ok, he a was a nice guy, i don't think anyone doubts that. and his family is obviously undergoing immense suffering and grief. no doubt.

   but he was also an elite propagandist.

   Posted by darladoon at 07/12/2008 @ 11:40pm

6. This is the wrong time to assess Tony Snow. Please stick to sending condolences to his family and friends who I am sure will miss him. All this nonsense about being a role model, graceful humor etc. are out of place. For crying out loud here is a guy defending war crimes and cleverly obfuscating the honest questions. May be there are groups where his skill is appreciated just like a group of homicidal maniacs admiring the Charles Mansons. Give us a break.

   Posted by rnagisetty at 07/13/2008 @ 08:50am

7. Snow was a nasty f**k. there was no civility, he had a high handed arrogant way of conducting the press conferences. I'm glad he's dead.

   Posted by emile duBois at 07/13/2008 @ 10:36am

8. well, well.

   my condolences to mr. snow's family.

   nonetheless, he was part of a very nasty machine.

   <i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i><i>

   Snow Job: White House Prevaricator-in-Chief

   posted by JOHN NICHOLS on 04/26/2006 @ 09:47am

   </i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i></i>

   Posted by frosty zoom at 07/13/2008 @ 11:29am

9. frosty zoom

   this is not a Snow family eulogy page.

   the condescending and cruel way he treated Helen Thomas was enough to make me puke at the sight of him or the mention of his name.

   Posted by emile duBois at 07/13/2008 @ 3:11pm

10. emile seems incapable of objectivity, apparently to such extremes he wishes death on those who disagree with him.

    In the end hatred kills the hater. Satan wins.

    Posted by freiheit1 at 07/13/2008 @ 3:58pm

11. 2HAPPY and duBois, be careful what you wish for. Karma has a way of raising its ugly head and bite you on the butt, rather hard I might add.

    Posted by pyeatte at 07/13/2008 @ 6:19pm

12. Helen Thomas is a mascot. But I certainly would never express any happiness over her death.

    And I suggest she was also not an enemy of Snow's. I bet she and he got along quite well despite their differences. Like adults, emile.

    Posted by freiheit1 at 07/13/2008 @ 11:34pm

13. Freihate, you are a liar. I did not wish death on Snow.

    Posted by emile duBois at 07/14/2008 @ 08:37am

14. Fryhate, I expressed my hatred of one man.

    you have taken these pages to express your hatred for millions of gay men and women, you swine.

    Posted by emile duBois at 07/14/2008 @ 08:51am

15. You are insane JR. I made a single comment that the gay movement faces the task of convincing middle america that male gay sex, (I said anal sex) is natural and loving.

    What about that is hateful to gays? What part is untrue? What part of that implies I hate gay people?

    Please don't project your new narrow-mindedness and hatred on me. I feel sorry for you.

    Posted by freiheit1 at 07/14/2008 @ 10:41am

16. Tony Snow was one-eight black.

    Posted by bombscare at 07/14/2008 @ 2:09pm

17. Let me say this up front. I'm a Conservative. Having gotten that out of the way, and having watched Tony Snow for years, I can tell you one thing about the man. What you saw of him was it. That's who he was. While probably most Libs hated him, he was by no means a mouth piece for the Right. He was one of the only ones on Fox News that hammered Bush when he thought he was wrong. Tentatively giving that much credit to George Bush, I hope that's why he hired him. Mostly, I'll miss his humor. For those of you out there reveling in his passing, all I can say is how sad.

    Posted by Desron13 at 07/15/2008 @ 12:02am

18. Desron13

    opinions vary. he was Bush's liar, and a nasty one to boot. it is the ones who are whitewashing this creep that are sad. why don't you take your dubious eulogies to the weekly standard. they know from lies over there.

    Posted by emile duBois at 07/15/2008 @ 07:04am

19. The warm eulogies to Tony Snow reminds me of the praise of Reagan, I'm scared like with Reagan the praise will get additional people hurt.

    Some people have the warmest friendliest smile, and seem to show genuine concern, while they go around hurting people. This is the way I look at Tony Snow and Reagan. Though others perhaps rightly say Reagan was in a fog as his advisors ran the country.

    Some say that about Bush Jr. But I genuinely think he is a moron being pushed around by the wind or advisers, smiling like a little kid who says his lines right oblivious to what the words he uttered. I could have just fell for his con I don't know.

    Tony Snow was as sharp and as alert has he could be, with far more determination than Ted Kennedy in doing his job and perusing his goals despite being wreaked with cancer.

    I don't hate him but fear a warm memory of him will cause lingering harm the way warm memories of Reagan still does.

    I'm suspicious that he got his start as part of Sun Myung Moon's conglomerate. The Washington Times, UPI, Comcast etc. conglomerate. A friend of mine who never reached the point of selling flowers 14 hours a day, still tells me what warm and loving people the Mooonies are.

    After I got hit by a car, I was already on low income medical state insurance. When I went to get welfare and food stamps, I was totally helpless, afraid of falling off my crutches, and had trouble concentrating. The Korean case worker was so warm and helpful and seemed embarrassed about my problems, I realized later he was acting embarrassed, more about my hyperactivity than my helplessness, something I had to deal with my whole life.

    He told me to get a letter from my part time job that I was fired. The secretary hadn't even took my keys back hoping I'd be back. It turned out he never signed me up for food stands or welfare, but cut me off medical assistance for not having a part time job anymore.

    Anyway I dread that fond memories of Tony Snow will cause harm into the future the way warm memories of Reagan still does.

    Posted by RichardKanePA at 07/17/2008 @ 07:32am