"You never lie. But on the other hand, I'm working for the president"

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1188054,00.html



The day before joining President Bush at the briefing room podium, Tony Snow of Fox News got a fresh trim at a Georgetown salon — signaling the coming denouement of a very public courtship by the White House. Going on The O'Reilly Factor to talk about a job offer from the President might have meant the death penalty from this White House, but Snow has already shown he has an unusual degree of latitude.

A Republican official familiar with the selection process said Snow, 50, was chosen because Chief of Staff Josh Bolten and Counselor Dan Bartlett want "an informed and successful advocate" who can spar with reporters and make the White House case more aggressively — both off-camera and on. One official said the cerebral Bolten wanted someone who could be "not an intellectual equal, but an intellectual peer." Snow, who was speechwriting director for President George H.W. Bush, is a longtime friend of Bolten's, and they recently had lunch together.

Snow will work at his Fairfax County home next week, and take over on May. 8. One of his first acts was to give an exclusive interview to Fox News on Wednesday night, and Washington managing editor Brit Hume, a former ABC News White House correspondent, asked if he anticipated or hoped to be liked by the press corps.

"I think the most important thing is to be respected by the press corps," Snow replied. "As you know, being chummy is one thing, but if I'm chummy and they're not getting information or they're getting a quality of information that they don't think is worthwhile, it's not going to do you any good. So the idea, I think, is to do a competent job in terms of getting information to the press corps so that they respect you. You never lie. You never try to shave the truth. But on the other hand, you've got to keep in mind the guy I'm working for is the president."

[TygrBright]

1. Man, this is going to be entertaining...

Pass the popcorn, please.

anticipatorially,
Bright

[AndyA]

2. Yeah, and we all know the President is a liar. So what does that say

for the new PR guy? They aren't lies as long as someone else initiates the information, and he's just passing it along?

[reichstag911]

3. No, you Faux scumbag,...

...you don't work "for the president," you work for the people of America. They're the ones who pay you, not the limp-chimp.

[Norquist Nemesis]

4. Since when is the Press Sec a policy making position????

After listening to what Bush said, then what Snow's remarks, and some talking head followup with him "negotiating", it's clear they WH is making him out to be involved in policy. Did anyone else catch that drift?

Seems a bad, bad, bad move to make the Press Sec in a position like that. This is going to be so much fun!!!

[Orrex]

5. I've heard that about half a dozen times so far

So Dubya can appoint a far-right partisan to a policy-making position with no oversight or accountability?

Sounds about right for this administration.

[LeftNYC]

6. When his first briefing? nt

[rodeodance]

7. the WH now officially married to FOX!!

[Avalux]

8. They took out the middle man -

As I heard this morning, Brit Hume will probably sit in the front row and ask all the questions. :D

[Norquist Nemesis]

9. The WH now officially letting Faux make policy!

They won't have to worry about tape delay any more!

[blondeatlast]

10. "I know I'm lying through my teeth, but it's good for America." nt

[blondeatlast]

12. Does he seriously think the WH Press Corps will give him a PASS?

After whoring for the prez for FAUX?

[Bandit]

11. "not an intellectual equal, but an intellectual peer."

What the hell does that mean?