Check out this quote from GOP Senator Olympia Snowe today. Snowe likes to portrary herself as a "moderate" Republican, even though she rarely sticks up for anything other than what her party tells her to. Note Snowe's language. Telling Obama to give up on the public option, but not offering anything in return other than the possibility of "building consensus."
Snowe, who has proved a reliable collaborator with the White House, said Obama should just give up on the public option in favor of building consensus and that he should have done so during his Wednesday speech to Congress to bring Republicans on board.Snowe knows her audience. She knows Obama is genetically incapable of turning away from the shiny penny of bipartisanship. The problem? Snowe can't deliver one vote in the Senate. Sure, perhaps Susan Collins will vote with her, but that's it. They're the only two "moderates" left in the GOP caucus. Unless Obama plans on giving away the shop to get Snowe and Collins on board, it's not terribly clear what Snowe is offering in exchange for Obama caving on a campaign promise that he said was a requirement for the bill.
"I think it's unfortunate, because it leaves open a legislative possibility that creates uncertainty in this process," Snowe said. "And I think it could give real momentum to building a consensus on other issues."
And as we saw during the stimulus debate, giving away the shop, and then getting 3 GOP votes, convinces no one that the bill is bipartisan. So why cave to Snowe? Other than the fact that she's now playing to Obama's weakness?
