United States President George Bush on Wednesday introduced conservative talk-show host Tony Snow as his new chief spokesperson in the latest shake-up of the struggling White House.
”I’m confident that Tony Snow will make an outstanding addition to this White House team,” Bush said, telling reporters at the White House the veteran journalist ”understands the importance of the relationship between the government and those whose job it is to cover the government.”
”He’s not afraid to express his own opinions,” Bush added. ”I’m proud to welcome Tony as part of our team.”
Snow replaces outgoing press secretary Scott McClellan, who was removed as part of a broader White House shake-up.
The president noted that Snow — known for his sometimes acerbic commentary and political positions to the right of many other journalists in broadcasting — has at times found himself at odds with the president, whom he has considered to be not sufficiently conservative on some issues.
”For those of you who have read his columns and listened to his radio show, you know he has sometimes disagreed with me,” Bush said.
”I asked him about those comments, and he said, ‘You should have seen what I said about the other guy.’
”I like his perspective,” Bush told reporters. ”I like the perspective he brings to this job, and I think you’re going to like it too.”
Snow, who was a speechwriter for Bush’s father, former president George Bush, anchored the Fox News Sunday television programme and currently hosts a radio programme for the conservative network, where he has worked for the past decade.
In remarks after Bush’s announcement, Snow thanked the president ”for the honour of serving as press secretary”, and added that he was ”delighted” to assume the high-profile post, which he agreed to take, among other reasons, ”because I believe in the president”.
”These are times that are going to be very challenging. We’ve got a lot of big issues ahead and we’ve got a lot of important things that all of us are going to be covering together.
”I am very excited, and I can’t wait,” he said. — AFP
