August 17, 2007

Tony Snow Hints At WH Departure

Say it ain't so, Snowbird.

In an interview on Hugh Hewitt's radio talk show on Wednesday, White House press secretary Tony Snow suggested he would be announcing his departure from the Bush administration by Labor Day.

"I've already made it clear I'm not going to be able to go the distance, but that's primarily for financial reasons. I've told people when my money runs out, then I've got to go," said Snow, a former conservative radio talk show host himself.

According to top White House aide Karl Rove, who announced on Sunday he would be stepping down, Chief of Staff Josh Bolten asked all senior staff to leave by Labor Day if they weren't planning to see President Bush's second term through.

Few would blame Snow for stepping down at this juncture. The 52-year-old press secretary parries daily with the Washington press corps on the war in Iraq, U.S. attorney firings scandal and sundry other unpleasant topics, all while battling cancer, which returned in March. An amiable figure dating back to his days hosting "FOX News Sunday," Snow has enjoyed a warmer, though still occasionally tense, relationship with White House reporters than his predecessors enjoyed.

Snow took a steep pay cut when he left the confines of News Corp. to join the White House a little more than a year ago. According to National Journal's 2007 salary survey (subscription), he earns $168,000 annually. Snow has three children ranging in age from 10 to 14.

As the White House's mouthpiece, Snow will probably inform reporters of his intentions during one of the daily press gaggles. Pressed by Hewitt to "make news," Snow responded, "I'm not going to tell you!"

When Snow's not trying to get the president's message across, he can often be found playing flute with his band. The Gate checked out a performance in May, and we were impressed.

Posted at 4:27 PM
Posted to: Bush Administration, Karl Rove, President Bush, Tony Snow
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