The best cure yet for hyper-political self-importance might be watching the White House Press Secretary’s interview about his colon cancer by NBC’s David Gregory.
The human connection between two men often seen in angry confrontation at White House briefings is moving in itself, but Snow’s courage and optimism in the face of the incurable but treatable disease are a startling reminder that disagreement in politics need not be grounds for personal hatred.
In all the Bush years, putting Snow out there as the face of the Administration has been one of the best moves they made. He is now putting that celebrity to good use in setting an example for other cancer victims of how effective keeping active and maintaining a positive attitude can be.
Tony Snow is not likely to change many minds about Iraq or illegal wiretapping, but he is a constant reminder of what all of us have in common.
Showing posts with label Tony Snow. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tony Snow. Show all posts
Wednesday, August 08, 2007
Thursday, August 02, 2007
Mourning in Minnesota
In the Rose Garden today, President Bush said the Federal government “must respond, and respond robustly, to help the people there...recover.”
The First Lady will be in Minneapolis Friday to console the families of those who died.
White House Press Secretary Tony Snow said today, “This is a horrible time for the families of those who lost loved ones yesterday, and it's also a very trying time for anybody in public service."
After the uproar over FEMA’s failure in New Orleans, the Administration is now responding with appropriate action and expressions of sympathy to a disaster in the city that will host the Republican National Convention next year.
The official death toll from the collapsed bridge is now four, with as many as 30 others missing.
In Iraq, 54 young men from Minnesota have been lost, 11 of them this year. Unlike yesterday’s victims, they died far from home and officially unmourned.
No one knows yet if the bridge disaster could have been averted and the victims spared. In Iraq, we do. Will the President “respond robustly”?
The First Lady will be in Minneapolis Friday to console the families of those who died.
White House Press Secretary Tony Snow said today, “This is a horrible time for the families of those who lost loved ones yesterday, and it's also a very trying time for anybody in public service."
After the uproar over FEMA’s failure in New Orleans, the Administration is now responding with appropriate action and expressions of sympathy to a disaster in the city that will host the Republican National Convention next year.
The official death toll from the collapsed bridge is now four, with as many as 30 others missing.
In Iraq, 54 young men from Minnesota have been lost, 11 of them this year. Unlike yesterday’s victims, they died far from home and officially unmourned.
No one knows yet if the bridge disaster could have been averted and the victims spared. In Iraq, we do. Will the President “respond robustly”?
The Politics of Mock-Outrage
Barack Obama is having his “emperor has no clothes” moment in Presidential politics, being savaged for saying out loud yesterday what is obvious about Pakistan: "If we have actionable intelligence about high-value terrorist targets and President Musharraf will not act, we will."
Rupert Murdoch’s New York Post, in an editorial, shrieks, “Naive? Sen. Clinton was too kind. If he's serious, he's dangerous.”
Democratic Presidential rival Chris Dodd calls the statement “dangerous and irresponsible,” while Joe Biden merely labels it “disingenuous” for sounding like a “bold new initiative.”
Tony Snow responds with a platitude about respecting the sovereignty of Pakistan, but the hollowness of that answer has been exposed by White House homeland security adviser Frances Townsend.
Last week friendly Fox News summarized an interview with her reporting that “the U.S. was committed first and foremost to working with Pakistan's president...But she indicated the U.S. was ready to take additional measures.
"’Just because we don't speak about things publicly doesn't mean we're not doing things you talk about,’" Townsend said, when asked in a broadcast interview why the U.S. does not conduct special operations and other measures to cripple Al Qaeda.
"’Job No. 1 is to protect the American people. There are no options off the table,’" she said. Townsend also said, "'No question that we will use any instrument at our disposal' to deal with Al Qaeda and its leader, Osama bin Laden.’”
The bottom line is that Obama is attacked and ridiculed from all sides for the heinous political gaffe of telling a simple truth that even the Bush Administration acknowledges and is prepared to act on.
Rupert Murdoch’s New York Post, in an editorial, shrieks, “Naive? Sen. Clinton was too kind. If he's serious, he's dangerous.”
Democratic Presidential rival Chris Dodd calls the statement “dangerous and irresponsible,” while Joe Biden merely labels it “disingenuous” for sounding like a “bold new initiative.”
Tony Snow responds with a platitude about respecting the sovereignty of Pakistan, but the hollowness of that answer has been exposed by White House homeland security adviser Frances Townsend.
Last week friendly Fox News summarized an interview with her reporting that “the U.S. was committed first and foremost to working with Pakistan's president...But she indicated the U.S. was ready to take additional measures.
"’Just because we don't speak about things publicly doesn't mean we're not doing things you talk about,’" Townsend said, when asked in a broadcast interview why the U.S. does not conduct special operations and other measures to cripple Al Qaeda.
"’Job No. 1 is to protect the American people. There are no options off the table,’" she said. Townsend also said, "'No question that we will use any instrument at our disposal' to deal with Al Qaeda and its leader, Osama bin Laden.’”
The bottom line is that Obama is attacked and ridiculed from all sides for the heinous political gaffe of telling a simple truth that even the Bush Administration acknowledges and is prepared to act on.
Thursday, July 05, 2007
Arkansan for "Chutzpah"
The President’s Press Secretary Tony Snow asked a linguistics question today in response to the Clintons’ criticism of President Bush’s commutation of Scooter Libby’s sentence.
Always eager to further the education of the White House culturally deprived, herewith a definition: Chutzpah is an old Ozark expression for the meshugas of taking a nation into war by lying, trying to discredit those who expose the lies and then, when one of the smearers is caught and convicted, sanctimoniously springing him for self-protection.
Gezundtheit, Mr. Press Secretary.
Always eager to further the education of the White House culturally deprived, herewith a definition: Chutzpah is an old Ozark expression for the meshugas of taking a nation into war by lying, trying to discredit those who expose the lies and then, when one of the smearers is caught and convicted, sanctimoniously springing him for self-protection.
Gezundtheit, Mr. Press Secretary.
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