Bush gives Snow job dealing with media

AP/Houston Chronicle:

President Bush today named conservative commentator Tony Snow as White House press secretary, putting a new face on a troubled administration.

Snow, a Fox news pundit and former speechwriter in the White House under Bush's father, replaced Scott McClellan who resigned in a personnel shuffle intended to re-energize the Bush White House and lift the president's record-low approval ratings.

"My job is to make decisions and his job is to help explain those decisions to the press corps and the American people,'' Bush said, with Snow and McClellan at his side in the White House briefing room.

Snow's appointment is notable in a White House that has a reputation for not suffering criticism. He has had some harsh things to say about President Bush.

Snow called Bush "something of an embarrassment,'' a leader who has "lost control of the federal budget,'' the architect of a "listless domestic policy'' and a man who has "a habit of singing from the political correctness hymnal.''

Bush said he asked Snow about the critical remarks. "He said, `You should have heard what I said about the other guy.'''

Snow thanked Bush for the job and told reporters, "Believe it or not, I want to work with you.''

Bush also addressed reporters directly: "Tony already knows most of you and he's agreed to take the job anyway.''

...

Bush is really playing up his role as decider in chief. I think Snow will be a good fit. He is a guy who is easy to like and who handles hostile questions smoothly. That pretty much fits his new job. And, I really liked coming up with the headline for this post and suspect more puns will follow.

Update: Gateway Pundit has more on the appointment.