Departing Snow was cranky, petulant; had a "stuff this" attitude

Dana Milbank turned in this column before Snow's resignation announcement became official:

Press Secretary May Be Ready to Leave the Circus

By Dana Milbank
Friday, August 31, 2007; A02

White House press secretary Tony Snow sounds as if he's had about enough.

At yesterday's press briefing, CBS News's Bill Plante asked about a new report by the Government Accountability Office showing problems in Iraq.

"There are a lot of reports," said Snow. "It's a season of reports."

CNN's Ed Henry inquired about the "16 spy agencies" that wrote a National Intelligence Estimate.

"Sixteen spy agencies?" Snow answered reproachfully. "You're talking about intelligence agencies."

And don't even bother asking him about Sen. Larry Craig. "Thank you for the question," the spokesman spoke. "I've already given my answer."

"No, you didn't," pointed out April Ryan of American Urban Radio Networks.

"Yes, I did," Snow retorted, then reconsidered. "Okay, I gave the answer I'm going to give."

Plante detected a bit of snippiness. "Your tolerance level seems to be slipping," the veteran newsman observed.

"Really?" Snow replied. "Am I getting cranky like you? Wow."

(That's not very classy, is it? Is that the way you really want to be remembered? A "sarcastic little girl" kind of White House press secretary? I don't think Ron Ziegler talked to the press like that even during Watergate. What a little pissy man Snow was, in his final days...)

Snow said earlier this month that he'll be leaving his position before the president has left his. But he hasn't said when...

...If he leaves, he can look forward to considerable lucre. Former White House press secretary Ari Fleischer asked for $50,000 a speech when he left the job, and Snow is at least twice as good. The Snow wit -- which the spokesman uses to thwart reporters in search of more substantive answers -- would find a natural home on the talk circuit...

Ah-HA! Ah-HA! So that's it! That's what the pissiness was all about. Snow was TRYING to get fired, so he could get back in the private sector and make more MONEY! Sort of like a soldier who’s on a tour of duty, realizes he’s losing all this money fighting for his country and then decides to try to get out on a dishonorable discharge or Section Eight.

Okay. Not very patriotic. Not very admirable with a war going on and all these kids staying on even thought their buddies are getting shot, maimed or killed—but I understand why you’d wanna do it, Tony. You’d make a hell of a lot more money than those veterans, if you left public service.

I guess we're lucky Snow took off before we saw any more of his "I'm a pissy little girl and I hate you all" attitude. A few more days of this “I’m gonna get me fired so I can start making the big money again” strategy, and we would have seen moments like this:

SNOW: Yes, first question. Bob?
REPORTER: Do you think a guilty plea can be recanted for an arrest for lewd conduct in a men's restroom at an airport?
SNOW: You go ask your *mother* if a guilty plea can be recanted for an arrest for lewd conduct in a men's restroom at an airport, Bob. Next question.
REPORTER: Was the pressure on Attorney General Gonzales to resign fair, given the circumstances?
SNOW: Since when did you people start caring about “fair?” Suddenly, you start caring about “fairness?” What the hell is this, the “End Times” or something? (pretends to look under the podium) Where’s Jesus?
REPORTER: Please, Tony—
SNOW: (yells off stage) Somebody get Satan’s parka! Hell has apparently frozen over, the press cares about fairness now—
REPORTER: --the GAO released its report on Iraq yesterday and said that the Iraqi government has failed to reach any of the most significant benchmarks—are—are you mimicking me, Tony?
SNOW: “--mimicking me, Tony?”
REPORTER: I have to say, I think this is very childish and unprofessional—
SNOW: “—and unpwofessionaw--”
REPORTER: Well, in my fifteen years of covering the White House, I—
SNOW:(using his hand to talk, a la Senor Huences) “—feefteen years of covering de White House, I—“
REPORTER: How’d you like me to come up there and kick your ass?
SNOW: (points out reporter) Security! (the men in black come and take the reporter out, Snow goes into Senor Huences with his hand again, calling after him as they drag him out) “How you like me to come up dere and kick your ass?” (laughs) You know, I may stick around a little while in this job, after all...