Let in Snow

April 26, 2006

News reports made it clear this was going to happen this morning, and now it’s official. Bush introduced Fox News’ Tony Snow as Scott McClellan’s replacement just moments ago. After Snow thanked the president for the honor, Bush and Snow left the podium without taking questions. (NBC’s David Gregory shouted, “Mr. Preisdent, what do you think this choice says about what you need in a second term?” The rest of the press corps laughed a bit, but Bush waved and walked away.)

Apparently, before accepting the position, Snow was a little picky about his responsibilities, and wouldn’t agree to take the job until he received assurances that he would have “guaranteed access to the president’s ear and to an unusually large degree of latitude to reconfigure the WH press operation.”

At least in the short term, Snow should probably worry less about West Wing power and more about his eyebrow-raising paper trail. Think Progress and Media Matters have poured through Snow’s on-air and in-print comments on Bush’s presidency and have found more than a few gems. A few of my favorites include:

* “George Bush has become something of an embarrassment.” [11/11/05]

* “No president has looked this impotent this long when it comes to defending presidential powers and prerogatives.” [9/30/05]

* “Bush, for all his personal appeal, ultimately bolstered his detractors’ claims that he didn’t have the drive and work ethic to succeed.” [11/16/00]

* “At one point last week, he stunned a friendly audience by barking out absurd and inappropriate words, like a soul tortured with Tourette’s.” [8/25/00]

* “The English Language has become a minefield for the man, whose malaprops make him the political heir not of Ronald Reagan, but Norm Crosby.” [8/25/00]

This morning, Bush said he asked Snow about some of these comments, and Snow reportedly told him, “You should have seen what I said about the other guy.”

I really doubt the White House press corps will push Snow on any of these previous comments, but they’ll be worth holding onto. I have a hunch we’ll be hearing them again, from time to time.

I think the that, he received assurances that he would have “guaranteed access to the president’s ear and to an unusually large degree of latitude to reconfigure the WH press operation” (along with his past comments), suggests he thinks he’s smarter than the folks in the WH – including the president himself.

This should be interesting. I’m putting $10 on 9 months in the Tony Show dead pool.

  • …an unusually large degree of latitude to reconfigure the WH press operation.

    I find this very interesting. I almost commented on an earlier thread about replacing McCellen: What if they don’t replace him? Is it possibe that we’ll see a very different kind of press office? One much more conducive to positive press coverage? How would that work? We might be about to find out.

  • Perhaps they should just outsource the WH press office to Faux. By gum, I think they already did!

  • Why do they even bother with a spokesman? They could just hand out flyers with the latest bullshit.

    Does Snow still get to work on his show, articles, etc.?

  • Norm Crosby… lol.

    He is far funnier and more decent that Bush.

    Although… come to think of it…

    Who said this (Bush or Crosby)?

    “Apparently there has been some sort of excommunication here on the InterNest. And I’m glad you brought this to my detention.”

    Answer here

  • Over at RedState they’re using those comments to prove that Bush is looking outside his “bubble” for hiring. Sigh. First of all, I doubt Snow is major critic of Bush, although I’ve never listened to any show of his. Second of all, he’s not involved in policy change! His job is to merely and blindly defend whatever Bush does.

  • The funniest thing to me is that Snow Job actually believes the assurances he’s been given here.

    I give him a year and a half. By then, the chimpeachment proceedings should cause him to seek more time with his family.

  • I totally disagree. Snow has had the world’s longest audition for this spot by virtue of his association with the Fox network. This admin obviously feels very comfortable with Snow’s ability to tow the party line and make it look to the American people that he is at times ‘critical’ of the Decider.
    This buffoon will be the press secretary until the end of W’s term or the rapture, whichever comes first.

  • Tony Snow thinks he is in great shape because he has the President’s ear.

    Seems to me he’d do better to have Addison’s and Cheney’s ears (or better yet, their testicles in his pocket). Then he could do the job with some honesty.

  • SkepticalClown is right; they don’t need a real human being to handle the press. Instead, why don’t they just use the White House Magic 8-Ball Press Liason. It would work just as well as Fliescher and McClellan. Obviously the 8-Ball would have to retooled; you can’t have going around giving answers like “yes” and “my reply is no”. The only answers the 8-ball could give would be “Reply hazy, try again”, “ask again later”, and “I can not comment on an ongoing investigation”.

  • Interesting. I guess Snow is a bit like Alito and Roberts. All three are whores to the highest bidder and just do as they’re told. In Snow’s case, he first criticizes Bush because his job sometimes required him to do it in order to give the appearance of credibility (because the appearance of credibility sells, lest people think FOX is merely a 24/7 GOP infomercial). Then he turns around and assumes the job where it is his responsibility to blindly defend Bush. So much for integrity.

  • When Snow starts answering the reporters’ critical questions with playground-level personal attacks, the schism between the press corps and the White House will get to Grand Canyon proportions

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