Another day and another high-profile resignation from the White House. Press Secretary Tony Snow says "financial pressures" have forced him to resign.
He declined to say when he would depart, but that, "I'm going to stay as long as I can."
The 52-year-old Snow, the father of three children, earns $168,000 as an assistant to the president but made considerably more as a conservative pundit and syndicated talk-show host on Fox News Radio.
CNN reports on The Situation Room that Snow will depart at the end of the month with outgoing political advisor Karl Rove. Both are seen above.
Snow has undergone chemotherapy for a recurring bout with cancer and it is expected the regimen will intensify. Snow also has three teenage children and probably wants to hit the lucrative lecture circuit to ease the financial burdens of college tuition.
This has been a banner week for Republicans to throw in the towel. In the past two days, two former House leaders have also called it quits: Ohio's Deb Pryce and former Speaker Dennis Hastert (above)—both were implicated in covering up the Mark Foley scandal and Lane Hudson wryly notes that Hastert's do-nothing legacy should be "enabling a sex predator." Undoubtedly, both have very realistic views of the GOP's chances of regaining the majority in 2008 and has prefer not to spend another two years in the minority.
Snow to Leave White House Before Bush [Forbes]
Pryce Won't Run Again [Post Dispatch]
Hastert to Retire [News for the Left]
Did You Read ... ?
Monday Surprise: Karl Rove "Resigns" [R20]
Report: Republicans Negligent in Foley Scandal [R20]
Blame Gays, Clinton and the Victims [R20]
Foley Latest: Blame it on the Gays [R20]
Vast "Liberal Conspiracy" [R20]
Repubs Wanted to Avoid "Gay Bashing" [R20]
GOP Leaders in Foley Cover-Up [R20]
Bye, I guess that cancer he has is just as he would put it a "tar baby" sorry, not one shred of sympathy for Snow or any of his ilk.
Posted by: Cedric | 17 August 2007 at 16:54
I am sorry to hear that he will be leaving. I hope his cancer has been arrested. Good luck to him!
Posted by: barbara mode | 17 August 2007 at 20:40
It's such a shame that he can't put food on his family with only $170k a year. Just think how hard it would be with the average American salary.
Posted by: Robguy | 18 August 2007 at 04:32
Cedric, I'm certainly not a Bush fan or a Tony Snow defender, I'm very much a liberal Democrat. But we shouldn't wish ill health on anyone. We're supposed to be better than than that.
Robguy, I think the important point here is that Tony snow has cancer and it may get worse. We don't know how many years he has. If he wants to cut out now and make some coins to send his children to college and take care of his health, more power to him. Everyone is jumping ship off the Titanic.
Posted by: caleb rexter | 18 August 2007 at 09:06
Caleb, I don't wish him nor anyone else who hates black people ill, but, I most certainly do not have sympathy for him and his illness, its that old thing, treat people bad and comes back at you, treat them with respect and you will get respect. And, sorry, he can't support a family on $168,000 a year and all the millions he has made spewing hate on Fox, please.
Posted by: Cedric | 18 August 2007 at 13:31
I just now found out this site had a comments section. Late as hell.
Anyway I think Tony was great at his job. Did i agree no, but I respect him for being a great publicist.
Fighting cancer and supporting kids can be a strain even on HIS salary. So I can't knock his hustle.
Posted by: ATrain | 18 August 2007 at 21:11
ATrain and Caleb make a good point. Tony Snow is probably a decent man, the fact that we disagree with his politics should not encourage us to wish him poor health. I always thought Rod 2.0 readers were more intelligent than that.
Posted by: anon | 18 August 2007 at 22:29
Reading Cedric's comments, he's not wishing ill on Snow. He simply has no sympathy for him. In the same way the Bush people have no sympathy for people with AIDS, Katrina victims, or the people of Iraq.
These responses are superstition at its worst. Even if we wish Snow would suffer and die, that does not mean we have the power or ability to make it happen. Anger is a natural consequence of oppression and imperialism. But even if I wished Snow would drop dead now, IT HAS NO MEANING because I can't make it happen.
In contrast, the White House HAS the power to aid victims of AIDS, Katrina and poverty.
Bush and Snow have ZERO sympathy for us; why should I feel sorry for them. Misplaced empathy is so pathetic.
Posted by: seahawk | 18 August 2007 at 23:28