Tony Snow, the conservative columnist and television commentator who relished sparring with reporters during a 17-month stint as President Bush's Press Secretary, died on Saturday after struggling publicly and candidly with colon cancer. He was 53.
One of those times where I, personally, differed wildly with his political views but found myself liking the *man* very much despite his conservative platform . He seemed to embrace life and his sensibilities as he faced his cancer were always admirable. It speaks well of him, too, that (I heard last night) he was personal friends with Ian Anderson of the band Jethro Tull . And I loved the story of how, shortly ago, he'd spent his workday in a major bluster - attempting to finalize the project he was bound and determined to complete before he went home: collecting 50 gifts, some large and some silly and some in-between, to present to his wife on her birthday, one gift for each year she had lived. A decent fellow, I'd say. May he rest in peace now.

*NY Times Article* here ...

Tony Snow was somebody I really looked up to for several reasons. I agreed with a lot of the personal politics [ not all] but this is far beside the point. Tony was immersed up to the elbows in life.
His sometimes zany sense of humour calmed the waters and saved the day for him more times than I can remember, often forcing his detractors to admit a grudging like for the man. He often saw through the rhetoric of the day and spoke his mind. There was no hidden agenda -you had it all right there in front of you, for good or ill.
And what a musician he was- http://digg.com/people/Tony_Snow_and_Ian_Anderson_Flute_duet
God rest you, Tony- along with Tim Russert.

What will we do when all the straight talkers are gone?

I heard the anoouncement of Tony Snow's death on the radio.

The DJ was doing it as a lead in to a song. The song was "He's the Greatest Dancer" by Sister Sledge.

I heard this while watching a MLB game with my son. I gasped and said, "Oh damn" and surprisingly, so did he. Why would that surprise me? Because my son is 30 and I personally do not know a lot in that age group today that have a grasp of true journalists anymore. The constant 'give me the up to the minute news, without the thought behind it' is more the norm for his generation. This led to a discussion of reporting, Tim Russert's death, Jethro Tull, and other 'cerebral topics' - the baseball game was muted and forgotten.

"What will we do when all the straight talkers are gone?" So true, Kate, and I don't know, but it saddens me greatly.

RIP, Tony, you're struggle is over.