Posted on 05/16/2006 5:40:05 PM PDT by new yorker 77
WASHINGTON - White House Press Secretary Tony Snow became emotional during his first on-camera press briefing Tuesday when the topic turned to his battle with colon cancer, which also claimed his mother's life.
"I had cancer last year," Snow said when asked why he was wearing a yellow bracelet from fellow cancer survivor Lance Armstrong's LiveStrong Foundation.
"It's going to sound stupid and I'll be personal here, but having gone through this last year was the best thing that ever happened to me." The former Fox News anchor choked up and fell silent in the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room, which was packed with more than 100 journalists, or twice the usual audience.
At length, Snow cracked one of several self-deprecating jokes to break the tension.
"It's my Ed Muskie moment," he said, referring to former Sen. Edmund Muskie, D-Maine, whose 1972 presidential campaign fizzled after he appeared to cry in front of the press in New Hampshire.
"I lost a mother to cancer when I was 17: same type, colon cancer," Snow said. "And I feel every day's a blessing."
bsammon@dcexaminer.com Examiner
Ed Muskie was no Tony Snow.
As a long time listener to Tony Snow and a big time fan. Tony was a FReeper who posted to us almost daily. Tony is also a Catholic Convert and he is a very good man!
Maybe Helen was hitting on him, then.
Helen Thomas was actually saying, "Oops, I crapped myself again."
ROFL!
Did the press say anything stupid after Snow choked up?
She also said afterwords when forgetting her accident, "Are these seats heated now?"
And Tony Snow is no Travis McGee.
This story is not a Bill Sammon blog and it is currently headline news at the Drudge Report.
Anyone know why this thread was placed in 'bloggers and personal'?
"Boil on the butt of humanity." Ouiser , "Steel Magnolias"
This thread is not from a blog and it is currently headline new at The Drudge Report.
What was his name?
Tony Snow, that was his FReeper name. How cool is that? He did not hide.
God, I love this guy. An authentic human being, a real mensch.
Tony is the real deal.
Bump for Tony
Thanks. Looked him up by poster and his account has been suspended. No surprise, but would have enjoyed reading his comments.
Yes that was a major blow to us, but for security reasons a must. We are sure he is still lurking, however and there are many of us who love him.
It was SO GOOD to hear him today, wasn't it? Even though it's hard not having him in the mornings..
Woof! (In lieu of a pedestrian phone)
Woof, I am on my THIRD listen! LOL, he's good, he's really, really good!
4th listen!
I am listening to his presser today. My Lord what a difference. He is absolutely fantastic. McClellan's slow delivery allowed for less info i.e. less chance for mistakes but often only allowed a single sentence to be used in multimedia reports. Tony can get two to three points within the same timeframe making him much more effective in a multimedia-rich environment.
I am at the point where Helen-the-hag is spouting off and Tony effectively shut her down. No doubt that the anti-Bush WH Press Corp will personally like Tony more even though they realize that he will also be more effective.
Well, maybe Snow can knock some sense into those coddled babies, who claim to be reporters...
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