Health care forecast: A good chance of Snowe
Speculation has long focused on U.S. Sen. Olympia Snowe, the Republican from Maine, as the key to solving the health care puzzle in Congress.
But that simmering talk may be headed for a boil. This from ABC’s The Note this morning:
It appears that Senate Finance Committee Democrats have gotten the message from the White House: Do whatever it takes to get Republican Sen. Olympia Snowe on board.
She’s sending EVERY signal that she’ll be there at the end, as long as she gets a large say in how the bill is shaped. Snowe yesterday releasing a statement with three moderate Dems (Ben Nelson, Lieberman, and McCaskill) tells you she is looking for a way to support the bill — not oppose it.
And below is the video clip that’s being analyzed six ways to Sunday, in which Snowe declares President Barack Obama to be more moderate than liberal, and his views on health care to be “very realistic.”
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5 comments Add your comment
RetiredSoldier
September 18th, 2009
2:07 pm
Snowe=RINO. Enough said.
BPJ
September 18th, 2009
2:22 pm
It wouldn’t be too surprising to see Snowe, Collins, and one or two other Republicans join Joe Lieberman as independents. There’s no place for moderates in today’s GOP.
TnGelding
September 18th, 2009
3:00 pm
I wouldn’t want to play poker against her. Sounds like she’ll be there in the end, as ABC said. Wonder what kind of relationship they had in the Senate? More subsidies? She’s definitely a compassionate conservative. I’m sure she’d be welome on the other side of the aisle.
clyde
September 18th, 2009
3:38 pm
Snowe is 58% Republican.That’s too far over the line to be welcomed by The Dems.As I’ve said many tiimes,her constituents like her.She wins elections by wide margins.Her constituents oppose Obama’s health care bill,but may welcome some compromise coming from her direction.Timre will tell.She listens well.
ladyliberty
September 18th, 2009
8:23 pm
Enter your comments here Snowe a compassionate conservative? She loves government intervention. It must be some historical Maine tie to the GOP that keeps her there. She doesn’t belong. And BPJ you’re right. I say be gone the always reliable moderates – the ones ALWAYS reliable to oppose real market reform. There are a handful of moderate conservatives who are conservative in philosophy and moderate in behavior who bring value to the Senate. But not Snowe nor Collins – at least not as Republicans.