Tony Snow, at 53, lost to colon cancer. Tony grew up here in Cincy......was a liberal dem....switched later to a conservative and was a really decent, funny, and respected journalist./speechwriter, Press Sect'y . In one of the many tributes I saw today on TV, one of the ones that hit me hardest came from liberal Dem Bob Beckel who shared a heartfelt story of he & Tony out on a *speech tour*, liberal / conservative paired to spar it out. Beckel says "Back when I was drinkin'....and I drank alot, Tony & I were on the road & I got really loaded, really hungover the next morning.....and I was feeling awful so Tony wrote my speech for me, including my attacks on conservatives ! And it was a great, liberal speech and I delivered it !"

God bless you, Tony. One of the real genuine folks. He & Tim Russert are sharin' some good ones now