Ocala (Florida) Star-Banner - October 15, 2003
Fox anchor is big on Bush SHAYNA GRUNEWALD Special to The Star-Banner
THE VILLAGES - "Values play a critical role in the United States,'' said Fox News anchor Tony Snow in a speech Tuesday night at the Villages retirement community.
And values are what makes President George W. Bush stand out, Snow said.
"In an instant, on 9-11, he transformed ... the president began to pull it all together.''
In a speech to the nation on Sept. 20, Bush made a clear distinction between right and wrong.
"He ceased to be a frat boy by the development of policy, that is, to spread the gospel of freedom, take on tyrants around the world and squash terrorists like a bug.''
Snow said that after the U.S. won the war in Afghanistan -- which no other nation has done -- Islamic fundamentalists around the world began to retreat.
People around the world now want to know if America is going to stick with it, he told the crowd of 750 ticket holders of the series of speakers sponsored by the Villages Lifelong Learning College.
He also said that Iran may be the most dangerous opponent the U.S. now faces. Most of the people in that country hate their rulers, and 60 percent of that country are under 30, he said.
"The Iranian public is more pro-American than any college faculty in America. The question is not if the regime is going to fall, but when,'' he said.
Iraqis love the U.S. and want us to stay, said Snow.
They reject the United Nations because they protected Saddam, he said of the Iraqis.
"Right now, the U.N. is irrelevant, except if you are a diplomat, you can park anywhere you want and they can't put you in jail,'' he quipped, as the audience at the Savannah Center laughed and applauded.
Returning to the issue of values, he said, "Parts of Europe have lost their souls. The French don't believe in anything anymore. Not even a 35-hour work week.''
He said the Germans are beginning to come their senses, and called Tony Blair refreshing. "God bless his soul. He told the U.S. not to be wobbly.''
Snow, who once took a sabbatical from journalism to work in the White House for President George H. Bush, also commented on Arnold Schwarzenegger's campaign for governor of California.
"He ran on values. He's a great story because he was unapologetic about loving this country,'' Snow said, and he won despite a smear campaign against him.
This is an exhilarating time in history, he said. "We want a sense of America that is strong and unapologetic.''
The lecture series will continue in the coming months with other speakers, including 1950s TV personality Art Linkletter and Oliver North, the ex-Marine, Reagan adviser and Fox broadcaster.