 Tony
Snow
Weeknights 7-10pm
Email Tony
at:
tonysnow@foxnews.com
Tony
Snow is the host of Weekend Live with Tony Snow, which airs each Saturday from
11am-1pm on FOX News Channel (FNC). Snow also serves as an FNC political analyst
and contributes to the network's political and election news coverage. Snow joined
the network in 1996.
Snow previously served as host of FOX News Sunday (FNS), the FOX Broadcasting
network's Sunday morning public affairs program. As host of FNS from 1996 to
2003, Snow interviewed numerous world leaders, including National Security Advisor
Condoleezza Rice; Secretary of State Colin Powell; Secretary of Defense Donald
Rumsfeld; Sen. Minority Leader Tom Daschle, D-S.D.; Sen. Joseph Lieberman, D-Conn.;
Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf; and former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu.
Before joining FOX News, Snow was a nationally syndicated columnist with The
Detroit News from 1993 to 2001. He was also a columnist for USA Today from 1994
to 2000. Earlier, he served as an editorial writer at The Virginian-Pilot in
Norfolk, VA; editorial page editor of The Daily Press in Newport News, VA; deputy
editorial page editor of The Detroit News; and editorial page editor of The Washington
Times. Snow's career in journalism began in 1979 when he was an editorial writer
for The Greensboro Record in North Carolina.
In 1991, Snow took a sabbatical from journalism to work in the White House for
President George H. Bush. He first served as the deputy assistant to the president
for communications and director of speechwriting, and later as deputy assistant
to the president for media affairs.
Snow earned his bachelor's degree in philosophy from Davidson College in Davidson,
North Carolina. He grew up in Cincinnati and currently resides in Virginia with
his wife, son, and two daughters.
Q&A With Tony Snow
Why radio?
I've loved radio ever since I was Rush Limbaugh's substitute host. Radio is
more creative. You have more direct contact with people out there. The funny
thing about TV is that you're sitting in a studio staring at a piece of glass - the
lens. When you're on the radio you get interaction and you can be a lot more
creative. I love that fact that radio has a freedom to it that you don't have
on TV. It also plays to my strengths. I love doing creative stuff. I love talking
about a lot of different topics. I love playing music - I am going to be playing
music on this show. And finally, the intimacy with the audience - for instance,
when people who've seen me on TV come up to me in an airport they call me "Mr.
Snow." When people who've heard me on the radio come up to me they call me "Tony."
What part will listeners play in your new show?
Listeners are a huge part. The one thing I've learned is that you always learn
from a listener. There are people who know stuff you don't know, they've had
experiences you haven't had, they have seen politicians or historic events, and
they share. The fact is that listeners are the most important part of any talk
radio show. It's how you establish your connection with people all around the
country. It's how you figure out if you're doing well or poorly. The listeners
are really the core any good talk radio show.
How did you make the transition from a philosophy major in college to
journalist?
You know it's funny; I was a philosophy major only because I couldn't figure
out what I really wanted to do. I loved math and I loved English and I figured
philosophy was down the middle. I always loved writing. I won creative writing
and filmmaking contests in college. I would spend most of my spare time either
playing music or writing (or goofing off and getting in trouble). The point is
I wouldn't pull my chin and think deep thoughts. I just always loved writing.
Then a friend of mine recommended me for a tryout for a newspaper job in North
Carolina 25 years ago. That's how I got into the business. It was strict writing
ability that got me there.
How did your time working in the White House affect your outlook as a
journalist?
When you've worked in the White House you understand that it's unlike any other
place. It's just different. It's got its own culture. It's got its own set
of rules. It's got its own clock. You're living in a bubble. It's a bubble
in which human history takes place. I was there for the collapse of Communism.
I was actually the last person in the diplomatic reception line to shake hands
with Mikhail Gorbachev and his wife three weeks before they were toppled from
power. It gives you a sense of the history. To work in the White House is to
suddenly figure out what a magnificent institution it is and also what a weird
institution it is. It really does call on all your time, energy, and attention
in a very concentrated way for however long you're there. Everybody who's ever
worked in the White House, Democrat or Republican, we all get it. It's like
a secret society. You get along and you help each other out. That's one of
the dirty little secrets - people
who've worked in the White House tend to be friendly across political boundaries
because we've all been through the wars together. We know exactly what
it's like, we've got sympathy for each other, and we've got great war stories.
Name one thing you absolutely couldn't live with out.
My wife. It's true. It's literally true. Let me see, what else could I not live
without? Everything else is sort of a poor second!
If you were stranded on a desert island and could only have one music
album, what would it be?
Oh boy! Oh boy! Somebody would just have to drop an I-Pod on there with about
100,000 albums and let me cheat. I cannot imagine being stuck with just one album
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