NEW YORK — Sen. Olympia Snowe plans a few words about politics even after leaving office.
The Maine Republican, who has cited Washington’s partisan atmosphere as the reason she is stepping down this year, has a deal with Weinstein Books for a publication due out in the spring. Weinstein is billing the book, currently untitled, as a “memoir and call to action.”
“The point is that elected officials have a responsibility to take on the issues that are confronting the nation,” Snowe, who plans to work on her book with a collaborator, said Monday during a brief telephone interview.
Snowe and fellow Maine Sen. Susan Collins have long been moderate Republicans, an increasingly marginalized part of the party. Snowe, a consistent vote-winner for decades, shocked Maine’s political establishment in February when she announced she would not seek re-election after three terms. She said at the time that the “sensible center has now virtually disappeared.”
During the interview Monday, the 65-year-old Snowe listed several reasons for her unhappiness with Washington, from the influence of money to the growing trend of politicians appealing to their “base” and not to the broader public.
“We are constantly mired in ideological/philosophical debates with no solution,” she said.
Her choice of publishers is an example of working with the other party.
Weinstein Books’ Harvey Weinstein is not just an Oscar-winning film producer, but a prominent Democrat. Snowe said she was grateful to Weinstein for his “strong interest” in the book and in “having this voice heard, this voice of practicality.”
“Sen. Snowe’s core message — that bipartisan cooperation is critical to effective government — is equally true of book publishing,” Weinstein said in a statement. “This is a book that should be read by all Americans, whether liberal or conservative.”
For her book, Snowe was represented by Washington attorney Robert Barnett, a Democrat with his own bipartisan history. Barnett’s clients include such top Democrats as President Barack Obama and former President Bill Clinton and such top Republicans as former President George W. Bush and former Vice President Dick Cheney.
Financial terms for the book were not disclosed. According to Weinstein Books, Snowe will share her “family story as the daughter of a Greek immigrant and first generation American, and being orphaned at the age of 9 and widowed at age 26, tragedies that influenced her approach to public service and formed her philosophy.
Weinstein Books is a partnership with the Perseus Books Group and part of the multimedia Weinstein Company co-founded by brothers Harvey and Bob Weinstein.
Good luck, Senator Snowe.
Ya good luck ,just don’t let the door hit you in the but on your way out….of State I hope.
These books from retiring politicians are all pretty similar: They couldn’t tell the truth when they were in office due to the political consequences, but for several million they can. And I like her.
Who cares? She has not done anything that stands out for our state. She rode on the coattails of Mitchell and her husband as Governor (cough, cough). Not a book I will buy.
While no less than a few of Maine ski resorts continue to wax ever hopeful for cold weather in November, it’s absolutely wonderful to learn that there’s won’t be any Snowe in Maine this winter.
We already know her story. We are living it everyday $3:99 a gallon for gas and it just goes on and on. No jobs in Maine but plenty of welfare the end.
$4.09 up in my part of Maine. And that’s down from last week’s high of $4.15.
Yeah tell us all about your great friendship with George W. Bush and voting to get us into Iraq War, I for one, wish you, Senator Snowe, had retired about 20 years ago. Thanks for the help with the Lileap funds, for nafta,for sending Maine jobs over seas. When you took office as a Senator, Maine for in pretty good shape, you are leaving 50 percent of Mainers very much poorer, thanks.
Doesn’t she have enough money already!? Why doesn’t she do something to help the 47% Romney flippantly referred to in his speech. Like do something for her beloved State of Maine and people without jobs and children going hungry.
Why do they keep referring to her as republican ?
Maybe since she voted with them much of the time? The US does not have parlimentary government (thank goodness).
IF Olympia has any integrity …
… she would explain exactly why Mr. Obama and company have been the primary source of the near brink disaster we are facing.
… she would renounce the “bipartisan” approach she has been touting to testify that the only solution is to defeat liberalism.
… she would dedicate every penny that she shook out of the pockets of her donors to back the only person in the race serious about reducing this country’s dependence on debt, foreign oil and entitlements.
Time to dig deep, Senator Snowe, to save your legacy.
As a Republican I say, when the going gets tough…..Senator Snowe goes home. A book I won’t be buying.
You sure you’re a Republican? I find myself agreeing with you.
First the book. Then the speaking tours to promote the book. Money begets money.
A book about nothing………………….
I see that mostly the people who do not like Snowe are commenting, as is their right. For my part, I knew of Snowe even when I lived in Massachusetts and I liked and respected what she stood for, in that she was willing to work across the aisle to resolve issues for her state. That is a quality that we see less and less in Washington. It is all or none, which leaves the US in perpetual gridlock. Unless people can come to reasonable compromise, despite their diagreement, Washington will remain in a state of inertia. Nothing will get done because everyone wants “I win, you lose” vs. “We both win”. Politics is the art of compromise, and we no longer have that.