Tony Snow Accepts Press Secretary Job

It's official: Tony Snow will be the next White House press secretary. Media writer Howard Kurtz writes in the Washington Post:

Fox News commentator Tony Snow agreed last night to become White House press secretary after top officials assured him that he would be not just a spokesman but an active participant in administration policy debates, people familiar with the discussions said.

A former director of speechwriting for President Bush's father, Snow views himself as well positioned to ease the tensions between this White House and the press corps because he understands both politics and journalism, said the sources, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the appointment had not been officially confirmed, although an announcement is expected today.

Snow will become the first Washington pundit -- and an outspoken ideological voice at that -- to take over the pressroom lectern at a time when tensions between journalists and the administration have been running high, over issues ranging from the Iraq war to investigations involving leaks of classified information.

But one of Bill Clinton's press secretaries, Dee Dee Myers, said Tony Snow has a long paper trail to defend.

"Tony has stature. He understands how the press works from both sides. He has a big personality, and that can be helpful." But she noted that Snow has "a long paper trail" and would have to defend policies he has criticized.

Tony Snow is the antithesis of outgoing press secretary Scott McClellan, whose poor speaking skills made him out of place for a position where the first responsibility is to convince people you're right.