Olympia Snowe says Dems could win her over on Iraq, "but they haven't tried"

[BurtWorm]

I find that hard to believe, but if it's true, :wtf:, Dems, talk to this woman!

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/22/AR2007042201054.html?nav=rss_politics

Moderate GOP Sen. Olympia Snowe represents the staunchly antiwar state of Maine and is deeply unhappy with Bush's leadership on Iraq. She opposes the troop buildup that is underway and supported Democratic-led efforts to state Congress's opposition to it. She has proposed her own terms for changing course in Iraq; they establish benchmarks for political progress as conditions for continued U.S. involvement.

But Snowe has quietly remained within the GOP fold during the funding fight.

The senator, who often breaks with her party on fiscal and social issues, accepts the most contentious provision in the Senate Democrats' bill: a March 31, 2008, target date for ending combat operations. The language she finds troubling is the requirement that troop withdrawals begin within 120 days. "Having an end goal is less problematic to me," Snowe explains. But as long as the U.S. military is on the ground, she said, it should have "the maneuverability to do what's necessary."

Snowe, 60, has never had a chance to explain her concerns to Democrats. Despite her well-known willingness to switch sides on high-profile issues, no one on the majority side has gotten in touch on the spending bill. "It wouldn't take a lot" to win her over, said Snowe, who cruised to a third term in November, despite heavy GOP losses in the region. "But they haven't tried."

[jobycom]

1. Hell, wire her whatever bribe she wants. We need the votes. nt

[Deep13]

2. Huh? She either agrees or she does not.

How are they supposed to win her over?

[yorgatron]

3. is she too stupid to figure it out for herself?

because i bet Maine voters aren't that dumb.

[acmavm]

27. That's what I was thinking.

[Jackpine Radical]

6. Ever hear of politics?

Maybe she wants to chair a committee. Maybe she wants a new bridge somewhere.

[Deep13]

15. Nope, never heard of politics.

I know how it works. Doesn't make it right.

[Skidmore]

31. Politics be damned. Sometimes you do things just because they

are the right thing to do. Besides, she's in the wrong party to chair a committee right now.

[Jackpine Radical]

36. She wouldn't be in the wrong party anymore if she switched.

She's hinting. What's wrong with encouraging someone to cross the aisle?

[Deep13]

43. If she is thinking of switching PARTIES that's another matter.

That would be a tremendous asset to us because Lieberman would be rendered irrelevant. (Yes, I have heard that his switching would not change control, but I am not countin on that.)

[Jack Rabbit]

46. Which committee is Lieberman chairing?

We'll let her have that one.

[Jackpine Radical]

47. Works for me.

Better for anything to be chaired by one coming in rather than one going out.

[BurtWorm]

8. She's playing some sort of game with her funding vote.

She wants something. It's worth finding out what it is for the possibility of getting her to leave the Republican fold on this vote.

[KansDem]

40. I'd like her to explain how Bush "won her over" in the first place...

I'd find that enlightening.

[AndyA]

4. Sounds like Harry Reid needs to take her to lunch.

We need everyone on our side that we can get.

And if this isn't an invitation, I don't know what is.

I'm going to send Reid a message, and call his office to make sure they know about this. He needs to do something.

[Burma Jones]

5. When the hell are you going to come over to the Good Side???

Jeez, Senator, you KNOW you wanna.......

[Rose Siding]

7. As a Republican, perhaps she's grown too used to expensive K-Street "wooing"

I'll wager she has Durbin's phone number, as well as Reid's!

[Wickerman]

9. At least she's honest

which is a rarity in a Republican.

Most don't hang out a sign.

[Czolgosz]

10. Olympia Snowe: "I will send your children to die senselessly until my ass is well and truly kissed

by the Democrats."

Why is everyone so impressed with her bullshit effort to blame her shitty support for the unjust war on Democrats and their failure to stop her from voting like a pig?

[Richard Steele]

16. DingDingDing! We have a winner!!!! nm

[Judi Lynn]

19. You bet. She should have followed her conscience from the first.

She doesn't seem to grasp the simple concept that you do the right thing simply because it's right, not because it's profitable, or flattering if someone begs you to do it.

You'd think she'd feel OBLIGATED to listen to her conscience.

[Fresh_Start]

23. we think alike. Stowe's deliberate ignoring her responsibility

cause she's not being courted.

Which means she's ignoring her duty.

[Hamlette]

33. that is EXACTLY what I thought. She should take REID to lunch.

either this article got mangled in transcription or she is an arrogant lout just like the rest of the GOP.

This is no longer a political game...people's lives are at stake.

I hope the people of Maine see this...

[madokie]

11. Hell I would talk to her for them, if for no other reason than to listen to her talk

I have a very okie drawl and just love listening to people from the northeast, in fact I will sometimes get caught up in listening and not be paying any attention to whats being said, :shrug:

[Clark2008]

39. I'm a Southern girl married to a Boston Yankee.

We just sit and listen to each other talk for hours. :loveya:

[Robbien]

12. She risks alot by not staying with her party, of course she needs

incentive to vote against them.

Hey DC Dems, don't you recognize an invite?

[Czolgosz]

13. She's a pro-war Repub in anti-war Democratic Maine. She risks more staying with her party and all

the incentive she needs is the will of her staunchly anti-war constituents who she was elected to represent.

[BurtWorm]

14. She just won reelection in 2006. She can keep the pressure off for a while longer.

It's Collins who is up in 2008 who should really be feeling the heat from Maine voters.

[Czolgosz]

45. Whether her next election is in 2008, 2010, or 2012, she's not immune from the voters.

[Robbien]

17. Nope. GOPers can always get her elected

by using their voter caging techniques. But getting GOPers mad at her can bring down the attorney general's bag of tricks to be used against her.

[Czolgosz]

44. That's exactly what they said about ex-Sen. Lincoln Chafee...

[proud2BlibKansan]

18. Oh I believe it

[Jack Rabbit]

20. OK, talk to the lady

The real enemy of America is the Bush regime and we should except any and all allies in bringing this war to an end and ousting the regime from power.

[Fresh_Start]

21. Stowe abandons duty to constituents cause Dems didn't say

pretty please with double whipped cream and two cherries on top.

[kstewart33]

22. What is she waiting for? Hearts and flowers?

Geez Louise. She has to be courted? Is that the price of her vote? I thought maybe her constituents' views and her own conscience might matter more than a free lunch.

[rox63]

24. Whatever her concerns are, I'm sure Harry Reid will be giving her a call shortly

Too bad the tap on the shoulder had to come through the Washington Post.

[terisan]

35. maybe ready to abandon the dark side and wants great Dem committee position? nt

[cooolandrew]

25. So, mass protests across the nation hasn't convinced her yet. OH kay. Oh Republicans.

[The Stranger]

26. That is pathetic. Where the fuck has she been the last seven years?

[asjr]

28. "But they haven't tried." --that is

the sorriest excuse I have heard yet. Why doesn't she "try" talking to them? Does she want Democrats to kow-tow to her? That is a rhetorical question.

[in_cog_ni_to]

29. What the hell does that mean? To 'win her over' would be to do what SHE wants done.

No wonder they haven't talked to her. Why can't SHE be the one to compromise? She the one in the Minority Party. If she's really against the surge she would support the Dems bill....period.

[Skidmore]

30. Methinks if she represents the "antiwar" section of her state that her

constitutents need to build a large bonfire under her tush and let her know that they will take her out just as surely as they put her in. Any Mainers here to light the match?

[mainegreen]

34. She responds to all concerns with poorly thought out form letters.

They generally go like this:

Dear <person>
Thanks for writing me expressing your concerns on <x>. I appreciate your input, but due to <some rambling nonsense> I feel it is necessary to continue to support <x>.

Olympia Snowe.

It's pointless to contact her on political issues, though on citizen services she is a bit better.

[Skidmore]

38. Bonfire, I say.

Matches, kerosene, lots of wood....heat.

[Captain Hilts]

32. What does she want? A toaster? Nats tickets? The issue isn't important enough as is? nt

[Lobster Martini]

37. Other issues on which Democrats have not tried to win her over.

Other issues on which Democrats have not tried to win her over: gravity, heliocentrism, evolution, general relativity...for crying out loud, have some common sense and stop waiting for your prom date to bring you a corsage.

[karynnj]

41. That doesn't sound all that likely

This year she's written Small Business legislation and an environmental bill with Kerry, who was one of Democrats on the first bill (Reid, Biden, Feingold, Levin, Reed and Schumer were the others). It is hard to believe that neither of them ever mentioned Iraq.

Also, communication is a two way street - so I would assume that she could find a Senator to speak to.

[Dr. Death]

42. Why does she need to be "won over" to do the right thing?

??????????

She obviously knows it's the right thing to do, but won't do it unless she's asked nicely? What do the Dems have to say? Pretty please with sprinkles on top?

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

48. She's twirling her purse. -nt