( New York Times ) - Tony Snow, whose face became familiar to millions of television viewers, as well as the Washington press corps, in his two years as chief White House spokesman, plans to leave his post on Sept. 14.
"I sadly accepted his desire to leave the White House," President Bush said Friday in the press briefing room where Mr. Snow has presided at briefings for reporters since the spring of 2006. "It's been a joy to watch him spar with you."
Mr. Snow, 52, said two weeks ago that he would not stay on until the end of the Bush presidency and that he was leaving because of financial pressures. The father of three children, Mr. Snow earned $168,000 a year as an assistant to the president, much less than he earned as a conservative pundit and talk-show host on Fox Radio who occasionally criticized Mr. Bush.
"This job has really been a dream for me, and a blast," Mr. Snow said. "What are my plans? A little vague at this point. I know I'll be giving some speeches. I could try to work up some book proposals, probably first and foremost on issues of how you deal with sickness."
Mr. Snow had surgery for colon cancer in 2005 and underwent months of chemotherapy. Doctors found a recurrence of the cancer last March, and Mr. Snow underwent more chemotherapy, leaving him thinner and with less hair.
But Mr. Snow insisted that money, not health, was the reason for his resignation.
"We took out a loan when I came to the White House," he said. "That loan's now gone. So I'm going to have to pay the bills.
"As far as my health, I'm doing fine. I know a lot of folks have been thinking, 'Oh, come on, it's really the cancer, isn't it?' No, cancer has nothing to do with this decision."
"One of the things that I have found out is that at least getting out and talking about my own experience with cancer has proved to be helpful to people, and that's enormously gratifying," Mr. Snow said. "I'm sure I'll do some political writing, as well. I'll be involved in charitable work."
Mr. Bush said he was sure that Mr. Snow would do two things. "One," the president said, "he'll battle cancer and win. And secondly, he'll be a solid contributor to society."
Mr. Snow will be succeeded by his deputy, Dana Perino.
"She can handle you all," the president said with Ms. Perino, 35, smiling by his side.
Mr. Snow was Mr. Bush's third White House spokesman, after Ari Fleischer and Scott McClellan. His resignation continues a string of White House departures as Mr. Bush's second term winds down. Friday was the last day of work for Karl Rove, Mr. Bush's chief political adviser.