Fox News's Snow to Become New White House Press Secretary
By Howard Kurtz
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, April 26, 2006; Page A08
Fox News commentator Tony Snow agreed last night to become White House press secretary after top officials assured him that he would be not just a spokesman but an active participant in administration policy debates, people familiar with the discussions said.
A former director of speechwriting for President Bush's father, Snow views himself as well positioned to ease the tensions between this White House and the press corps because he understands both politics and journalism, said the sources, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the appointment had not been officially confirmed, although an announcement is expected today.
Tony Snow
Age: 50 (B. June 1, 1955)
Education: B.A., philosophy, Davidson College; graduate work in philosophy and economics, University of Chicago.
Career: Host, "The Tony Snow Snow," Fox News Radio; Anchor, "Weekend Live," Fox News Channel; former anchor, "Fox News Sunday"; syndicated newspaper columnist 1993-2002; speechwriting director and deputy assistant for media affairs for President George H.W. Bush; editorial writing positions at Greensboro Record, Norfolk Virginian-Pilot, Detroit News, Washington Times.
Family: Wife Jill, one son, two daughters.
Snow will become the first Washington pundit -- and an outspoken ideological voice at that -- to take over the pressroom lectern at a time when tensions between journalists and the administration have been running high, over issues ranging from the Iraq war to investigations involving leaks of classified information. |
