Tony Snow, long-time conservative and former White House press secretary, is joining CNN as a conservative commentator beginning today, it was announced by Jon Klein, president of CNN/U.S.

Snow left the George Bush White House last year to battle colon cancer.  The cancer reportedly is in remission.

Snow, who had been a regular on the Fox News Channel, will contribute to CNN’s political coverage. 

Snow served as press secretary to President George W. Bush from April 2006 to September 2007. For 10 years beginning in 1996, he appeared on Fox News Channel, hosting Fox News Sunday, Weekend Live with Tony Snow and other programs. From 2003 to 2006, The Tony Snow Show aired on Fox News Radio.  Before joining Fox, Snow served as a substitute “From the Right” co-host for CNN’s Crossfire.

“In the White House, Tony brought a remarkably human touch to the discussion of public policy, which he will continue to do as part of the Best Political Team on Television,” Klein said. “He will contribute a unique breadth of political and journalistic expertise to what is already the most provocative and wide-ranging political analysis on the air.”

“I’m delighted to be able to join CNN during the most exciting and unpredictable political year in memory,” Snow said. “The big challenge in 2008 is to develop deep, creative and aggressive analysis of both political parties, their candidates and campaigns. I’m eager to get started, since this race is sure to shape American politics for years to come.”

During the 1990s, Snow was a regular guest host for Rush Limbaugh’s radio program. He was the writer, correspondent and host of a PBS news special, The New Militant Center, a regular commentator for National Public Radio and a frequent guest on numerous televised news programs. Snow joined the administration of President George H. W. Bush in 1991 and served first as chief speechwriter and then as media affairs adviser. 

His battle with colon cancer began in 2005 when he had his colon removed. In 2007, he disclosed that he was going to have surgery to remove a growth. It was reported that he had a cancerous growth inside his brain. He resigned from the White House in September 2007.  He then announced on October 4 on the Late Show With David Letterman that his cancer was in remission. He recently told Martha Stewart that he feels great,

In addition to his experience in government, television and radio, Snow spent more than two decades as an award-winning newspaper writer beginning with the Greensboro Record in 1979. He went on to be a columnist for USA Today and Creators Syndicate and an editorial page editor for The Washington Times