WASHINGTON - Tony Snow, a conservative writer and commentator who cheerfully sparred with reporters in the White House briefing room during a stint as President Bush’s press secretary, died Saturday of colon cancer. He was 53.

“America has lost a devoted public servant and a man of character,” President Bush said in a statement from Camp David, where he was spending the weekend. “It was a joy to watch Tony at the podium each day. He brought wit, grace, and a great love of country to his work.”

Snow, who served as the first host of the television news program Fox News Sunday from 1996 to 2003, would later say that in the Bush administration he was enjoying “the most exciting, intellectually aerobic job I’m ever going to have.”

Associated Press

I think a lot of us knew that when he stepped down as the White House Press Secretary the prognosis wasn’t good.  Tony Snow was a great reporter, not because of his conservative views, but because of his honesty.  He was a no-nonsense, no-spin reporter and gave you the facts the way they really were.  He didn’t spar with White House reporters as Daniel claims; he simply didn’t allow them to play their manipulative word games and inject their opinion as fact into their questioning like much of the liberal media today.  It was refreshing to have him at the White House because you knew he wasn’t going to be just another Bush mouthpiece.  He was going to give it to you straight.

Another great fighter for freedom and liberty has been lost today.