Olympia Snowe Retiring

[Jon Miller]

Moderate Republicans retiring is terrible unless you love what the Democrats do (I Don't).

JM

[giblets]

Make sure women have control over their own bodies...?

[Dinner]

Snowe was planning on running again but saw her numbers continually falling. Eventually she had to just give up the ghost because it was obvious she was down for the count.

I still think the GOP will pick up a slim lead in the Senate this year but the Republican antics about birth control and abortion do seem to have pissed off a lot of women voters and women are the largest voting group so maybe that might put the Dems over the top. We'll have to wait and see when we get closer to election day.

[Dinner]

"I have no doubt I would have been reelected." Bull****. She'd still be on the ticket if she thought she could win.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Your world is fascinating. Snowe would have won. That's why its such a blow to the GOP because a safe seat got removed.

[Dinner]

Then what was it, a primary challenge? I've heard the "I want to spend more time with my family" excuse so much I no longer believe it. They only step down when there are problems.

[Dinner]

Make sure women have control over their own bodies...?

Honestly, that's my guess. She's in a swing district, that's why she's had to be a moderate, and she's probably seeing her poll numbers collapsing due to the who Republican war on women thing.

[giblets]

Then what was it, a primary challenge? I've heard the "I want to spend more time with my family" excuse so much I no longer believe it. They only step down when there are problems.

Lots of people retire from their jobs when they're 65. It doesn't mean they were on the verge of getting fired.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Then what was it, a primary challenge? I've heard the "I want to spend more time with my family" excuse so much I no longer believe it. They only step down when there are problems.

She got rid of her primary challengers (the big one quit last week). It could just be at 60+ years old, she doesn't the crap of running for office.

[Hauldren Collider]

Honestly, that's my guess. She's in a swing district, that's why she's had to be a moderate, and she's probably seeing her poll numbers collapsing due to the who Republican war on women thing.

Bull****. She remains very popular in Maine.

[kentonio]

..and another one..

David Dreier Retirement: California Congressman Will Not Run For Re-Election

Rep. David Dreier (R-Calif.), Chairman of the House Rules Committee, announced Wednesday he would not seek re-election.

The California Congressman explained why he chose to make his announcement on the House floor. "First, this is where my fellow Californians sent me to represent them. Second, I am a proud institutionalist, and I believe that this institution is as great as it has ever been," he said.

He added that he considered retiring three years ago, but ultimately chose not to for four reasons. "(1) to reverse the very dangerous 82% increase in non-defense discretionary spending that we had in the previous two Congresses; (2) to finally pass the job-creating free trade agreements with Colombia, Panama and South Korea; (3) to enhance our national security by working to strengthen the legislatures of new and reemerging democracies across the globe through the bipartisan House Democracy Partnership; and (4) to ensure, through the Rules Committee, that both Democrats and Republicans have the opportunity to offer their solutions by proposing amendments on the House floor," he said.

Dreier has served in the House since 1981, representing the foothills of the San Gabriel Valley in Southern California. He has been Chairman of the powerful House Rules Committee for nine of the past 13 years. His decision has been long expected due to a redistricting process leaving him without an obvious district to run in.

Dreier, a bachelor, was passed over for a GOP leadership position in a controversial decision in 2005 that some observers speculated had to do with questions about his sexuality. Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.), who is openly gay, was asked if Dreier was passed over because he was too "moderate."

"Yes, in the sense that I marched in the moderate pride parade last summer and went to a moderate bar,” Frank famously responded, adding that he had no knowledge of his sexuality.

[DinoDoc]

What rationale do you have for that statement.

There's no way she would have ended up being a bigger liability that Palin.

McCain's problem wasn't moderates. He needed someone who could appeal to conservatives in order to balance the ticket. Snowe would not have helped in that regard.

[Hauldren Collider]

Not a big deal. California's gerrymandered to hell and back. His district is probably pretty safe. There's a decent turnover every year with retiring House members.

xpost

[Lorizael]

Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.), who is openly gay, was asked if Dreier was passed over because he was too "moderate."

"Yes, in the sense that I marched in the moderate pride parade last summer and went to a moderate bar,” Frank famously responded, adding that he had no knowledge of his sexuality.

[rah]

McCain's problem wasn't moderates. He needed someone who could appeal to conservatives in order to balance the ticket. Snowe would not have helped in that regard.

That doesn't explain how he would have done worse. Just not having Palin around would have helped him.