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Tony Snow to step down, Dana Perino taking over

US President George W. Bush announced on Friday the departure of his main spokesman, Tony Snow, and named assistant Dana Perino to the job.

"I sadly accept his desire to leave the White House," Bush told White House journalists.

"He has been a joy to watch him spar with you. He is smart and capable and witty. He is capable and able to talk about issues in a way that the American people can understand," Bush said.

Snow, 52, a former radio journalist who joined the White House in May last year -- only to see his colon cancer return -- will officially step down on Sept. 14.

Snow insisted his cancer, which was believed in remission when he took the job but then was discovered to have metastisized, was not the reason he was leaving more than one year before Bush's term expires.

"Why? Because I ran out of money," Snow said when asked why he was leaving.

"I made more money when I was in my previous career," said Snow, whose White House salary was US$168,000 a year.

Bush said he did not know what Snow will do after leaving.

"I don't know what he is going to do, I am not sure he does yet either. But whatever, it will be two things, he will battle cancer and win and secondly, he will be a solid contributor to society," Bush said.

Snow indicated several weeks ago that he would not serve out the rest of Bush's term, which will end in January 2009. In recent weeks he has undergone chemotherapy in hopes of arresting the cancer.
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