Snowing in washington?

DOJ: The incredible disappearing Tony Snow
by flo58
Sun Mar 25, 2007 at 01:53:21 PM PDT
How many potential witnesses have disappeared since the US Attorney scandal began? The list is already long: Michael Battle (resigned after makning notification phone calls to fired AGs), Monica Goodling (leave of absence but still on payroll), Kyle Sampson (forced resignation).

But when a big fish disappears before our eyes, nobody pays attention. Or rather, no one questions his departure -- for "elective surgery" on a tumor that he has known about since September and which has already tested benign. No one would dare question it in light of Elizabeth Edwards' revelation of the day before? Exactly the cynical calculation this administration Karl Rove is counting on.

My theory...

flo58's diary :: ::
Tony Snow's disappearance from the press room is no more an unfortunate coincidence than any of the other disappearances. According to the International Herald Tribune his decision to undergo surgery was "elective".

These scans revealed the growth in September. Though it has grown in size since, blood tests and further PET scans have not indicated a return of his cancer. He said it could merely be biopsied to see if it is cancerous, and then periodically checked afterward if not, but that he would rather just have it out. (emphasis mine)

In other words there was no urgency for his surgery. Yet he apparently sprung it on the press corp at the last minute. (Upon Googling, I found no earlier mentions in the press.) Why suddenly deal with something that he has know about since September? Did Elizabeth Edwards' recurrence freak him out that bad? Maybe, but my guess is not.

I think Tony Snow is removing himself from the scene when hard questions need to be asked of him. Last week's March 15, 2007 Gaggle has the following exchange

Questions.

Q The Judiciary Committee today approved subpoenas -- authorized subpoenas for five Justice Department officials as they look into the prosecutors case. What's the administration's reaction?

MR. SNOW: Well, I refer you to the Department of Justice on that. I know that they've had some conversations, but I'll refer you to DOJ on that.

Q Why would that be? Why wouldn't the White House --

MR. SNOW: Because it's subpoenas for the DOJ, and the Department of Justice will respond. The Department of Justice has also had ongoing conversations with people on Capitol Hill. I don't want to be their fact witness on this one, but, again, I suggest you give their office a call.

I remember hearing this because it puzzled me. Fact Witness? Where did that come in? It is a term that lawyers use -- and a reality which litigators want to avoid becoming. Lawyers present evidence (of others), they don't give it (under oath). Tony Snow was talking about becoming a fact witness? Did he know more than he said?

"The penny dropped" for me when I read through some of the produced emails that were produced on March 23 -- Friday, late in the day. Specifically, an email dated Decamber 4, 2006 (three days before the firings). Document No. DAG000002023. The email is part of string entitled "US Atty Plan". It was written by Harriet Miers' minion William Kelley to Kyle Sampson. Miers was CC'd. Kelley said:

We're a go for the US Atty plan. WH leg, political, and communications have signed off and acknowledged that we have to be committed to following through once the pressure comes. (emphasis mine)

Now I have not read every email that has been produced since the beginning, so I don't know if this email was produced before. (Anybody know?) But if it wasn't, then the whole reason for Tony's sudden surgery seems calculated to keep him away from reporters rather than "aggressive caution" in his treatment.

Email implicating Tony released Friday, surgery Monday? It does not pass my smell test. How about yours?

Update based on comments below: I am sorry a number of you believe that I don't wish Tony Snow well. That is incorrect. I do, as I stated in the comments, wish cancer on NO ONE! It is frightening, horrible and life-altering. My diary deals with the TIMING of the surgery and not the surgery, itself. And thanks for recommending, but it makes me nervous when that happens.

First off he's the Press Secretary which in my eyes doesn't really rank as a high level of importance in the scheme things in Washington.

Next, if I were diagnosed with colon cancer and a growth was found I think I'd want the damn thing removed also. How long should he wait off on HIS OWN PERSONAL HEALTH in order to appease the left? I'm sure if it were Pelosi, Kennedy, Clinton, or Keary they would do the same thing but hell.....makes for a good story huh?

Have a HEALTHY one!:s4:

can you say benign. as in not cancerous. can you say chickenshit, as in not taking the heat. I know, he's only the messenger, but he is either extremely dense (Doubtful) or a huge liar (Entirely plausible). Remember his former job, Faux Noise. Rather convienent for a benign tumor that is not growing. Myself, I'd get it removed ASAP, just seems he could have done this sooner and not waited for crises in the White House. Do you neocons get it that your president and his crowd are a bunch of lying thieving bastards, or do you just look the other way and try to find something to bash democrats with. If my guy was in and he was pulling what these guys are, I'd jump ship in a heartbeat, I'd start looking for a real honest dude for 2008, otherwise your guys are going down in flames, unless they cheat like before.

can you say benign. as in not cancerous. Damn, I must apologise to old Tony and wish him a speedy recovery. When you're wrong, you're wrong. Even someone as anti-Bush as me will not be mean to a cancer patient, as opposed to those that rag on edwards. Mean is not chique!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by medicinal

can you say benign. as in not cancerous. Damn, I must apologise to old Tony and wish him a speedy recovery. When you're wrong, you're wrong. Even someone as anti-Bush as me will not be mean to a cancer patient, as opposed to those that rag on edwards. Mean is not chique!

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VERY COOL! Likewise I wish the best to the Edwards family. For his wife to want him to carry on the fight and with everything that must be on his mind besides the elections.....props to the family for sure.

Back to the fight.....LOL....now that we see your source has flaws...well....:D

Have a good one!:s4:

As a cancer patient, I disagree with that notion. Even if it's benign, you want any remaining lymphnodes removed. Acting later only causes further complications. I think it's sick to politicize such a subject as one's health.

It's spread and metastasized to his liver. From what I've read, it's doubtful that he'll survive very long.

Surgery to remove a small growth from Tony Snow, the White House Press Secretary, showed that his cancer has returned and spread to his liver, the White House said today.

Mr Snow had his entire colon removed in 2005 and underwent six months of chemotherapy after being diagnosed with colon cancer.

Wiping away tears this morning, White House spokeswoman Dana Perino told reporters her colleague was comfortable and feeling fine after his surgery.

She said that Mr Snow would fight the disease aggressively with chemotherapy. â??He said heâ??s going to beat it again. When I talked to him, he was in very good spirits.â?�
Tony Snow's cancer returns-News-World-US & Americas-TimesOnline

Best of wishes.....

Mr Snow had his entire colon removed in 2005 and underwent six months of chemotherapy after being diagnosed with colon cancer.

Man I never would have guessed. Does he have to wear the dreaded bag. He always appeared so upbeat and strong. I might not agree with his political persuasions, but I give him an A+ for courage.

My earlier post regarding his prognosis was too pessimistic, and possibly not accurate regarding the spread of the disease. People have survived, and had full lives, with cancers like this for many years. I hope that Tony Snow is among those that do. We can be sure that he is getting the best care available.

I certainly hope the prognosis is optimistic, but I'm afraid it doesn't sound like good news. They can slow the further spread down but likely not stop it, at least according to what I just read in Dave's trusty copy of Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine. I had a friend whose mother, who was about the same age as Tony Snow when her colon cancer was found to have spread to her liver, survived for six years. They were six miserable years, frankly. Endless rounds of chemo and at least three surgeries. She was a little in denial, I think, or she wouldn't have kept pushing for further treatment. I had a great aunt who had the same thing happen and was gone within 8 months, but she was in her early 80s at the time of the diagnosed metastasis.

Glad you came around on seeing that there was nothing sinister at play here, Medicinal. The last thing any White House press secretary wants to do is be gone when big stories are needing to be managed and spun. He would be there doing his job if there were any possible way he could. I hope for his sake that he can return.

To whoever asked about his having to wear a bag? That's only rarely done now. They sometimes create temporary colostomies while people heal from colon resections, but 8 times out of 10 the surgeons go back in after the healing is complete and reconnect the gut and let people return to somewhat normal bowel function. That often means practically eating just outside the bathroom door because the food's going to go right straight through a much shorter gut. But at least it doesn't mean dealing with a colostomy bag.

To whoever asked about his having to wear a bag? That's only rarely done now. They sometimes create temporary colostomies while people heal from colon resections, but 8 times out of 10 the surgeons go back in after the healing is complete and reconnect the gut and let people return to somewhat normal bowel function. That often means practically eating just outside the bathroom door because the food's going to go right straight through a much shorter gut. But at least it doesn't mean dealing with a colostomy bag.
That's good to know, I've not kept up on cutting edge medical procedures these past few years. That cholostemy bag deal pretty much ruined quality of life, and isolated you from public exposure. I'll check my sources a little more before posting.