We ran this item on September 14, 2007, Tony Snow’s last day as White House press secretary.

With Tony’s passing today, it’s worth remembering him in all his glory. Here are some of his best moments from those days:

Today is Tony Snow’s last day as White House press secretary.

There’s no way you can remember Snow’s service to this country without revisiting his edgy exchanges with Helen Thomas.

Here then are the Top Ten Tony Snow/Helen Thomas moments from his White House press briefings:

10.

MR. SNOW: I’ll call on you next, Helen. Go ahead.
Q Does the White House and the President share that same gut feeling?
MR. SNOW: I don’t want to try to get into gastrointestinal descriptions.

9.

Q Why did we send a B-52 carrying nuclear weapons from South Dakota to Louisiana, jeopardizing America?
MR. SNOW: My goodness, I don’t have an answer for that.

8.

MR. SNOW: Helen, and then to Mark.
Q The President emphasized September and he emphasized General Petraeus’ report — all week you moved away from September. Is it a real important date for us to decide things?
MR. SNOW: I think what the President is saying is –
Q Does he know that we have civilian rule in this country?
MR. SNOW: Yes. Do you?
Q I do.

7.

Q We are a conqueror. We should be asking the people, do they really want us there.
MR. SNOW: Helen.
Q Yes, sir.
MR. SNOW: Do you believe — well, no, you will scold me for asking a question, so I will not. I will phrase my question in the form of an answer.
Q You know, best defense is offense, is that your whole approach?
MR. SNOW: No, my –
Q I’m asking you a very –
MR. SNOW: No, my approach is to — well, you’re asking a simple question that actually has some fairly complex precedents in the terms of the advisability or possibility of a national –
Q You keep saying that they want us there –
MR. SNOW: Helen, Helen, Helen.
Q Put it to a test.
MR. SNOW: Helen, no war is popular. No war is popular.
Q That’s not the answer.
MR. SNOW: If you had done — no, it is — no, that is an absolutely accurate answer.
Q Nobody wants –
MR. SNOW: If you had asked in 1864 — I’ll go back to the Civil War — the referendum would have failed and Abraham Lincoln would have failed.
Q How do you know that?
MR. SNOW: Go back and read, just a little history will tell you.

6.

Q Has the President factored in any of how many people will die?
MR. SNOW: Helen, you ask that question every day, and I don’t know how I can –
Q It’s a very valid question.
MR. SNOW: And it’s a question he thinks about every day.
Q And does he care about it? Does it matter how many die?
MR. SNOW: Yes, it does. Absolutely.
Q Well, you have a benchmark now — this fall has been so lethal.
MR. SNOW: And the people who have been killing will kill even more if we walk away. I would turn you to The New York Times op-ed page today, where a Marine Major talks about –
Q Written by a Marine.
MR. SNOW: I’m sorry, does that make it suspect that he’s on the ground trying to save lives?
Q No, that doesn’t. But, I mean, he has to take the military attitude.
MR. SNOW: Well, you might want to read it, because the military — the military attitude is, warriors don’t like to be engaged in war if you can have peace, and generals don’t like to send people into battle unless they have to. The people who are instigating the violence in Iraq are ones who are determined to kill.

5.

Q We’re the invader. Do you realize that?
MR. SNOW: Helen, we’ve engaged in this conversation a few times. The Iraqi people have made it clear that they think that America’s involvement in unseating Saddam Hussein was historic and liberating. The real tragedy is that there are people who are willing to kill by the thousands to prevent Iraq from becoming free. And I would –Q How can they feel free when they’re under occupation?
MR. SNOW: I would warn against — I would warn against drawing moral equivalents between people who take IEDs and blow up civilians and Americans who are laying their lives on the line so that there can be a democracy in Iraq. As for our occupation, the United States would like to be able to leave as quickly as possible. The Iraqis would, too. But the Iraqis say, don’t leave until the job is done. We agree. It is important to win in Iraq as defined by a free democracy that sustains, governs, and defends itself.

4.

Q What’s the U.S. role in all this?
MR. SNOW: Well, the U.S. role is one of working with Israel and, when possible, with the Palestinians to try to generate a peace — the same it’s always been, Helen –
Q Then why is it bankrupting the Palestinians?
MR. SNOW: The Palestinians are not being bankrupted, Helen. What’s happening, as you know, is that there is — Hamas is a terrorist organization. We do not give money to terrorist organizations. What has happened is that this government has tried in a number of ways to make humanitarian aid available to the Palestinian people. We draw a distinction between Hamas, which is –
Q And they were democratically elected.
MR. SNOW: They were democratically elected and they’re still a terrorist organization.
Q By your designation.
MR. SNOW: Yes. Thank you very much, Helen. They are, in fact, by the designation of this government, this administration, and prior administrations. So let me continue my answer.
Q Go ahead.
MR. SNOW: Thank you.
Q You’re welcome.
MR. SNOW: By the way, that’s a nice apple.

3.

Q Well, how many people are dying every day?
MR. SNOW: It depends on what the — does it not depend on — well, let me put it this way, Helen, when people are dying because of car bombs it illustrates the difficulty of the situation and the nature of the people we are fighting.

2.

Q Do you not understand the difference between private companies and governments, sir?
MR. SNOW: I understand. I do understand. But what I’m saying here is, what the public — I’ll tell you what, you ask the American public, do you want — do you think you have a right to know the specific means and methods by which –
Q That’s not –
MR. SNOW: Helen, will you stop heckling and let me conduct a press conference.
Q — argument.
MR. SNOW: Well, no, I’m making an argument, and you’re pestering the teacher.

1.

Q The United States is not that helpless. It could have stopped the bombardment of Lebanon. We have that much control with the Israelis.
MR. SNOW: I don’t think so, Helen.Helen Thomas from NPR
Q We have gone for collective punishment against all of Lebanon and Palestine.
MR. SNOW: What’s interesting, Helen –
Q And this is what’s happening, and that’s the perception of the United States.
MR. SNOW: Well, thank you for the Hezbollah view.

Today is Tony Snow’s last day as White House press secretary.

There’s no way you can remember Snow’s service to this country without revisiting his edgy exchanges with Helen Thomas.

Here then are the Top Ten Tony Snow/Helen Thomas moments from his White House press briefings:

10.

MR. SNOW: I’ll call on you next, Helen. Go ahead.
Q Does the White House and the President share that same gut feeling?
MR. SNOW: I don’t want to try to get into gastrointestinal descriptions.

9.

Q Why did we send a B-52 carrying nuclear weapons from South Dakota to Louisiana, jeopardizing America?
MR. SNOW: My goodness, I don’t have an answer for that.

8.

MR. SNOW: Helen, and then to Mark.
Q The President emphasized September and he emphasized General Petraeus’ report — all week you moved away from September. Is it a real important date for us to decide things?
MR. SNOW: I think what the President is saying is –
Q Does he know that we have civilian rule in this country?
MR. SNOW: Yes. Do you?
Q I do.

7.

Q We are a conqueror. We should be asking the people, do they really want us there.
MR. SNOW: Helen.
Q Yes, sir.
MR. SNOW: Do you believe — well, no, you will scold me for asking a question, so I will not. I will phrase my question in the form of an answer.
Q You know, best defense is offense, is that your whole approach?
MR. SNOW: No, my –
Q I’m asking you a very –
MR. SNOW: No, my approach is to — well, you’re asking a simple question that actually has some fairly complex precedents in the terms of the advisability or possibility of a national –
Q You keep saying that they want us there –
MR. SNOW: Helen, Helen, Helen.
Q Put it to a test.
MR. SNOW: Helen, no war is popular. No war is popular.
Q That’s not the answer.
MR. SNOW: If you had done — no, it is — no, that is an absolutely accurate answer.
Q Nobody wants –
MR. SNOW: If you had asked in 1864 — I’ll go back to the Civil War — the referendum would have failed and Abraham Lincoln would have failed.
Q How do you know that?
MR. SNOW: Go back and read, just a little history will tell you.

6.

Q Has the President factored in any of how many people will die?
MR. SNOW: Helen, you ask that question every day, and I don’t know how I can –
Q It’s a very valid question.
MR. SNOW: And it’s a question he thinks about every day.
Q And does he care about it? Does it matter how many die?
MR. SNOW: Yes, it does. Absolutely.
Q Well, you have a benchmark now — this fall has been so lethal.
MR. SNOW: And the people who have been killing will kill even more if we walk away. I would turn you to The New York Times op-ed page today, where a Marine Major talks about –
Q Written by a Marine.
MR. SNOW: I’m sorry, does that make it suspect that he’s on the ground trying to save lives?
Q No, that doesn’t. But, I mean, he has to take the military attitude.
MR. SNOW: Well, you might want to read it, because the military — the military attitude is, warriors don’t like to be engaged in war if you can have peace, and generals don’t like to send people into battle unless they have to. The people who are instigating the violence in Iraq are ones who are determined to kill.

5.

Q We’re the invader. Do you realize that?
MR. SNOW: Helen, we’ve engaged in this conversation a few times. The Iraqi people have made it clear that they think that America’s involvement in unseating Saddam Hussein was historic and liberating. The real tragedy is that there are people who are willing to kill by the thousands to prevent Iraq from becoming free. And I would –Q How can they feel free when they’re under occupation?
MR. SNOW: I would warn against — I would warn against drawing moral equivalents between people who take IEDs and blow up civilians and Americans who are laying their lives on the line so that there can be a democracy in Iraq. As for our occupation, the United States would like to be able to leave as quickly as possible. The Iraqis would, too. But the Iraqis say, don’t leave until the job is done. We agree. It is important to win in Iraq as defined by a free democracy that sustains, governs, and defends itself.

4.

Q What’s the U.S. role in all this?
MR. SNOW: Well, the U.S. role is one of working with Israel and, when possible, with the Palestinians to try to generate a peace — the same it’s always been, Helen –
Q Then why is it bankrupting the Palestinians?
MR. SNOW: The Palestinians are not being bankrupted, Helen. What’s happening, as you know, is that there is — Hamas is a terrorist organization. We do not give money to terrorist organizations. What has happened is that this government has tried in a number of ways to make humanitarian aid available to the Palestinian people. We draw a distinction between Hamas, which is –
Q And they were democratically elected.
MR. SNOW: They were democratically elected and they’re still a terrorist organization.
Q By your designation.
MR. SNOW: Yes. Thank you very much, Helen. They are, in fact, by the designation of this government, this administration, and prior administrations. So let me continue my answer.
Q Go ahead.
MR. SNOW: Thank you.
Q You’re welcome.
MR. SNOW: By the way, that’s a nice apple.

3.

Q Well, how many people are dying every day?
MR. SNOW: It depends on what the — does it not depend on — well, let me put it this way, Helen, when people are dying because of car bombs it illustrates the difficulty of the situation and the nature of the people we are fighting.

2.

Q Do you not understand the difference between private companies and governments, sir?
MR. SNOW: I understand. I do understand. But what I’m saying here is, what the public — I’ll tell you what, you ask the American public, do you want — do you think you have a right to know the specific means and methods by which –
Q That’s not –
MR. SNOW: Helen, will you stop heckling and let me conduct a press conference.
Q — argument.
MR. SNOW: Well, no, I’m making an argument, and you’re pestering the teacher.

1.

Q The United States is not that helpless. It could have stopped the bombardment of Lebanon. We have that much control with the Israelis.
MR. SNOW: I don’t think so, Helen.Helen Thomas from NPR
Q We have gone for collective punishment against all of Lebanon and Palestine.
MR. SNOW: What’s interesting, Helen –
Q And this is what’s happening, and that’s the perception of the United States.
MR. SNOW: Well, thank you for the Hezbollah view.

White House press secretary Tony Snow from today’s press briefing:

I don’t think it can have been good for Democrats yesterday to have had the MoveOn ad or to have had the Code Pink demonstrators, or to have had some members of Congress trying preemptively to smear General Petraeus.

Ironic seeing Iraq war hecklers getting removed from the Petraeus hearing today while these questions were being asked of Tony Snow during his White House press briefing:

Q Is it really necessity, or is it the President just being stubborn and standing on what he believes?
and

Q How many people have we killed in the last year?

And this from “Helen,” no last name given:

Q Why did we send a B-52 carrying nuclear weapons from South Dakota to Louisiana, jeopardizing America?

Good thing Snow answered, “My goodness. I don’t have an answer for that,” instead of going the helping-the-New-Orleans-police-after-Katrina route.

Of course, anyone who thinks America was jeopardized should heed General Buck Turgidson:

If the pilot’s good, see, I mean if he’s reeeally sharp, he can barrel that baby in so low… oh you oughta see it sometime. It’s a sight. A big plane like a ‘52… varrrooom! Its jet exhaust… frying chickens in the barnyard!

Tony Snow said this about the next White House press secretary Dana Perino: “a smart, capable person who is able to spell out the issues of the day in a way that people listening on TV can understand.”

TV indeed.  Replacing Tony Snow might be just a stepping stone.  Perino might actually be angling for Alex Trebek’s job.
From an April 2007 White House press briefing:

Q Yes, thank you, Dana. Two questions on American business. In the –
MS. PERINO: American business for 200. (Laughter.) I’ve always wanted to be on that show.

We hope her job’s not already in Jeopardy.

Today’s White House news briefing:

Q: …as far as Osama bin Laden is concerned, yesterday –
MR. SNOW: Oh, a change in topic. I’m sorry — bin Laden –
Q — on WTOP said that — he was quoting a newspaper in Pakistan — that Osama bin Laden was dead in 2005 because of kidney failure. But recent report was saying that Osama bin Laden is alive in Pakistan. Where do we stand on his well-being or death?
MR. SNOW: Look, I’m not going to tell you what we know or don’t know about bin Laden, but I thank you for passing on what occurred on WTOP yesterday.

… is also a rare Stephen Colbert, who has a broken wrist, moment:

Colbert and his cast stopped by the White House on Friday to spread the drama a little further. He and his crew staged a mock briefing in the White House briefing room, where Colbert sat in the front row, raised his wounded limb and was called on by presidential press secretary Tony Snow.

Snow also signed the cast and engaged in a few minutes of banter with Colbert as the cameras rolled. The cast was to be auctioned off later to raise money for military families.

Tony Snow at today’s White House news briefing:

The House Judiciary Committee has just voted along partisan lines to have a criminal contempt of Congress referral against White House legal counsel and the White House Chief of Staff. For our view, this is pathetic. What you have right now is partisanship on Capitol Hill that quite often boils down to insults, insinuations, inquisitions and investigations.

White House press secretary Tony Snow from today’s gaggle:

Q Did he watch the debate?
MR. SNOW: I don’t think so. I don’t think he’s big on YouTube debates.

White House press secretary Tony Snow at today’s news briefing:

… what the President said is, at the beginning of the war he asked for the best advice of his commanders and he said, what do you think you need? And he continued to ask — he said it many times; this is not — you can go back and Google it, but it’s, in fact, been a common statement the President has made repeatedly about his earlier consultations.