In Memorium: Tony Snow

Rest in Peace, Tony.

Tony Snow had been battling colon cancer and passed away this morning. The AP story is here.

I'll never forget when Mark called in to Tony's radio show to talk about Bill Pierce's run against Mike DeWine in the primary and Tony -- who was from this area -- knew exactly what we were facing. He was a great guy, a marvelous conservative voice, and he will be missed greatly.

UPDATE 1: Republican Leader, my Congressman and a Great American -- John Boehner:

“Churchill said, ‘I like a man who grins when he fights’ and that was Tony Snow. For 35 years, as a writer, broadcaster, and spokesman, he fought fiercely for what he believed in, and he did it with a smile on his face and a twinkle in his eye. His loss is a loss for our country. His newspaper columns and television and radio shows illuminated issues with grace and humor and solid insight. He served twice in government, distinguishing himself as a speechwriter in President George H.W. Bush’s White House and as a spokesman for the current President. Despite everything Tony did and achieved in life, he never forgot his hometown roots or those who grew up with him. He was a proud son of Cincinnati , and I will miss him. My thoughts and prayers are with his wife Jill, and their three children.”

UPDATE 2: From our friends at the Ohio GOP:

Life seems awfully unfair when we have to say goodbye too soon to people like Tony Snow. His infectious joy and courage gave hope to so many people, and his untimely loss is just impossible to comprehend.

As a former Ohioan, Tony had a special place in his heart for his friends in the Buckeye State. He was always full of energy and optimism and always anxious to help us here even in the face of his own physical battles. We've lost a dear friend and a colleague, and our love and prayers go out to Tony's family at this difficult time. This is such a profound loss for all of us.

UPDATE 3: This is probably one of my favorite moments from Tony at the podium. Tony, "Thank you for the Hezbollah view, Helen."



And now, ladies and gentlemen...the great Tony Snow!



UPDATE 4: A few of my favorite Tony Snow quotes:

Every one of our greatest national treasures, our liberty, enterprise, vitality, wealth, military power, global authority, flow from a surprising source: our ability to give thanks.

Sometimes, political campaigns make decent people act and talk like perfect buffoons.

The art of being sick is not the same as the art of getting well.

The real sin with Social Security is that it's a long-term rip-off and a short-term scam.

We believe. We believe in our destiny as a nation. We believe we have been called to do good, to spread the blessings of liberty and encourage the sense of trust upon which free societies depend.

Well, we can't afford blindness anymore. There are tens of thousands of thugs who loathe liberty and love death, and want to annihilate Western civilization.

Yet, it ought to be obvious that good music generally occupies a higher plane than mere politics. Great writers can express moods through melody and capture experiences we share most powerfully - love, lust, longing; joy, rage, fear; triumph, yearning and confusion.