Republicans said that Tony Snow, a commentator for Fox News and a former speechwriter for Mr. Bush's father, was in negotiations for the job of White House press secretary. Mr. Snow would replace Scott McClellan, who announced Wednesday that he was resigning....Mr. Snow is the host of his own radio program and comes from the news operation that flashes from every television in the West Wing.
But before entering into job negotiations with the White House, Mr. Snow publicly joined other conservative critics of the administration.
In a column posted on his Web site that focused on the president's most recent State of the Union address, Mr. Snow in February called Mr. Bush's domestic policy agenda "listless" and portrayed his staff as burned out and unwilling to stand up to him.
"He inspires loyalty and confidence," Mr. Snow wrote in the column, titled "Thud!" that also included high praise for the president. "But over time, even the best burn out — or worse, lose their capacity to tell the boss, 'Sir, that idea stinks.' "
Associates of Mr. Snow, 50, said he has been weighing whether he and his family are up for the rigors of such a demanding job.
Mr. Snow had surgery for colon cancer last year and is awaiting an clearance from doctors before making a deal, according to people with knowledge of his deliberations who spoke on condition of anonymity because they did not want to upset private discussions at a sensitive time.
Mr. Snow's deliberations played out on Fox News on Thursday night, when be acknowledged the downside of the job. "You get a massive cut in pay," he said, adding that a press secretary can get treated "like a piñata," and that the job would cut into time with his children.
On the plus side, he said, "You become part of something that's very rare, which is an inner White House circle."
