WHEN FORMER WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY AND FOX NEWS ANALYST TONY SNOW DIED AT 53 THE OTHER DAY, IT BROUGHT FURTHER SADNESS INTO A MEDIA WORLD STILL MOURNING OVER THE LOSS OF MEET THE PRESS MOEDERATOR TIM RUSSERT.

TONY WAS ONE OF THE GOOD GUYS, APPEARING IN HIS VARIOUS ROLES 7 TIMES ON MY RADIO PROGRAMS. THERE A PICTURE OF TONY AND ME TAKEN AT THE HERITAGE FOUNDATION IN 97 HANGING IN MY HOME OFFICE, AND IN 2006 A FRIEND SHOT A VIDEO OF US RIFFING AT THE WHITE HOUSE ABOUT KIDS AND LIFE DURING AN IMPROMPTU APPEARANCE.

TONY WAS A CLASS ACT, THE FATHER OF THREE CHILDREN, HE AND HIS WIFE OF 20 YEARS CONVERTED TO CATHOLISM AND BUILT A HOUSE IN VIRGINIA A FEW YEARS AGO. THIS WAS A HOUSE THEY ALMOST LOST TO A FIRE RIGHT BEFORE THEY MOVED INTO IT.

TONY SNOW WAS A PROLIFIC WRITER. MUCH OF AMERICA DISCOVERED HIM THROUGH HIS FREQUENT FILL IN APPEARANCES FOR RUSH LIMBAUGH.

HE WAS FAIR, KIND, AND WITH JUST A LITTLE BIT OF AN EDGE. HE WAS A CONSERVATIVE, BUT NOT A NUT, AND HAD EQUAL CRITICISM FOR BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE WHEN THEY STRAYED OFF COURSE FOR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.

WHEN TONY CANCELLED SOME SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS AT COLLEGES IN THE MIDWEST IN MAY WITH THE ADDED KNOWLEDGE THAT HIS DOCTOR SAID HE WAS TOO WEAK TO TRAVEL, MANY OF US KNEW THE END MIGHT BE NEAR. SNOW WAS NOT SOMEONE WHO WANTED PEOPLE TO FAWN OVER HIM, ESPECIALLY DURING HIS CANCER, AND THATS WHY DESPITE SIGNING A NEW DEAL WITH CNN, YOU DIDNT HEAR MUCH ABOUT HIM DURING THE LAST FEW MONTHS.

WE HAVE ALL HEARD THE EXPRESSION ABOUT THE MOLD WHEN THEY MADE SOMEONE, WITH TONY; THEY PUT IT AWAY AND ON THE SHELF, IN A SPECIAL PLACE. ITS CALLED HEAVEN.