Sen. Olympia Snowe remained mum about her post-Senate plans on Wednesday, one day after her unanticipated withdrawal from the 2012 election sparked a frenzy of activity and speculation within Maine’s political establishment.
On Tuesday, Snowe had alluded vaguely to plans to focus on addressing political gridlock in Washington, D.C., when she said she believed “there are unique opportunities to build support for that change from outside of the United States Senate.”
Speaking to MSNBC’s Andrea Mitchell on Wednesday, Snowe was noncommittal about how she planned to change a Congress she called “dysfunctional” and overtaken by “political paralysis.”
“In looking forward, this is a new chapter in my life,” said Snowe, who is 65. “I decided that if I was going to do something different it had to be at this moment in time. So I am going to be giving my voice to what should change here in the United States Senate and in Congress to get things done for the American people.”
Some people posting on the still-active Olympia Snowe for Senate page on Facebook had their own (perhaps wishful) suggestion for the senator: a Snowe for President campaign.
Snowe’s vagueness, combined with the careful wording of her earlier statement, prompted some bloggers and columnists to speculate whether Snowe did indeed have White House aspirations, especially given grumblings over the current crop of GOP candidates and the tone of the nomination campaign.
Snowe did not return a phone call seeking further comment on her post-Senate plans. Her campaign spokesman, Justin Brasell, declined to elaborate as well, noting that the senator would speak for herself during a press conference slated for Friday in Portland. Asked if he could rule out a presidential bid, Brasell laughed at the question but replied: “I cannot rule that out right now.”
Snowe’s most recent predecessors from Maine — William Cohen and George Mitchell — walked away from the Senate and into powerful positions in government and international relations.
Cohen served as secretary of defense in the Clinton administration while Mitchell helped negotiate a peace accord in Ireland and most recently served as President Obama’s special envoy to the Middle East.
Just quietly GO AWAY!
Da*n! You beat me to it….
How about sit in court rooms and watch her husband’s fortune dwindle? Enjoy retirement!
Another “Public Servant” walking away a multi-millionaire with a $100,000 pension, Cadillac health care and a no show “job” in government (what else?) waiting for her.
Will she still receive the insider stock tips?
Sickening pig!
Nasty comment~
No doubt that, as a UME alumna with a Board of Trustees packed with right-wing Republicans–thanks partly to Baldacci’s several appointments!–she can get a huge salary to do a little teaching while ordinary System employees face another contract with no pay raise, at the insistence of the millionaires who dominate the Board.
Is the new Chancellor a millionaire?
Vice Presidential candidate for the Republican nominee.
She is smarter than the current crop of GOP POTUS candidates. I can’t see her playing second fiddle to any of those jokers. Not enough clout in the northeast for her to take the Presidency. But maybe the next Maine Governor …
She’s waiting for the office of Tsarina to open up. She’s been working towards that for some time now and would be perfect.
She might consider penitence as a meaningful expiation for years of political hypocrisy.
Let’s see, there might be something to this presidential bid. Didn’t her good buddy LePlague say he doesn’t like any of the crop of current republican contenders? And wants to see a good old fashioned floor fight at their convention?
http://bangor-launch.newspackstaging.com/2012/02/26/politics/lepage-wants-republican-presidential-nominee-chosen-during-floor-fight/
Perhaps the plan is to nominate Sen. Snowe as the compromise.
Food for thought.
She says she’s going to do something that addresses the partisanship in our government today. I sure hope so. The strength of our nation has been the ability of people with disparate views to work together to solve problems and we’ve lost that as a nation.
Olympia…you are going to be missed so much. Thank you for all you have done for all of us Mainers. I hope you have a great retirement.
What retirement ? This is not a woman who is going away. Power is her middle name.
I hope for our sake she does work for us as she always has. But she is 65 and is apparently fed up with the senate. She is so right. They do not work for the common good. They all have agendas and are bought. God help us..So far none of the ones that announced are good enough to carry her valise .
Would you be so kind as to make a list of what she has done for us Mainers. I think i could have missed something.
Sounds like she landed a lobbying job on K Street.
She could fill in for Olive Oyle in the next Popeye Movie!
The white Knight of the GOP is born.
This could be a brilliant move by the GOP to get her to run for President. They might actually have a chance of winning, given the circus that the current candidates represent…. does anyone actually think any of the current GOP contenders has a remote chance of winning? ( then again I said that about BUSH… so there ya go)
Jason,
Yes I, for one, think so…
She would not have made this decision without a very concise plan on what she is doing and when she will share that. Stay tuned.
I suspect you’re right about that.
At the same time, her timing appears to have thrown Maine politics into a turmoil. Was that a good idea, or a poor one?
Maine politics needs a good shake up, and as Maine goes…. so goes the nation.
With a net worth of approximately thirty million dollars, she could spend the rest of her life counting her fortune. How could a public servant become so rich from such a humble start? What was her net worth 18 or 25 years ago? As an incumbent who never seemed to have an original idea, she will not be missed. Strange how the real bad politicians (e.g., Baldacci) come out of the woodwork in a frenzy with delusional expectations. Michaud should be voted out as U.S. Rep. How could he expect a promotion? These people live in a fantasy world which explains why they have no idea how to solve our problems except to listen to lobbyists.
Michaud hasnt been voted out thats how he can want a promotion genius
The basis of Snowe’s wealth was inherited from her first husband when he died in a car accident.
Is it true that Olympia still collects nearly $50,000 annually from State of Maine for Peter Snowe’s accident while traveling to or from Augusta? I heard it from a fairly good source and it should not be very difficult to find the truth. Her present wealth also includes Jock’s wealth which has probably grown considerably since leaving politics and listening to the wise counsel of Olympia. I do not recall Superior Concrete or Cement being a very large company which could have transferred thirty million dollars to Olympia and Jock. In any event, Olympia is a wealthy person and she will be able to leverage her contacts into more hefty paydays. Relative to other senators, what was her “efficiency” rating in being an effective congress person and in assisting Maine’s growth?
I think that she’s smart enough to get out of politics while the getting is good.
Cut the bun…would be in order…:)
don’t like her — don’t care what she does
Hopefully, whatever it is, there is a jail term attached. The woman has stolen us blind.
“She is vague on whats next” How about being vague on what she has done.
Now we can get another Democrat in to raise our taxes!
She can continue doing what she has done for years, nothing!
She fears the Revolution is nigh.
Time to move her money into a numbered offshore account and look for a ‘vacation home’ in a country without an extradition treaty.
Susan, do you smell the tar? Do you see the feathers?
Though pushed into a narrow corridor dominated by the miserable tea party-governed GOP., Olympia Snowe remains a fine stateswoman of moderation. It is the unilateral, hard – nosed teapublicans’ blockade that ended her Senate career. But she has served the nation and state well. She has always been wiling to cross the aisle and discuss the issues and help arrive at the best logical conclusion.
It will exceedingly difficult for ether party to find a replacement. Perhaps after a rest, she might even consider restoring faith in our state and its government by running for governor.
Very nice comment..: )