Harold Meyerson of the Washington Post has a clear-eyed take on the political skullduggery that Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins have been engaged in, trying to play both sides of their "moderate Republican" position in an increasingly extreme political age. Of course, Phoenix readers know exactly how "moderate" they are, having voted with George W.

Look, we know Maine senators Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins only appear moderates by contrast with their rabid, attack-dog, mama-grizzly Republican coreligionists (I've reported on that before). But seriously, Olympia and Susan? Opposing Obama's tax plan because it cuts taxes for 95-percent-plus of Americans, but lets tax breaks expire for people making over $250,000 a year?

Something to look forward to: the US Senate healthcare debate, post-Thanksgiving. Both Maine senators were quoted expressing their disappointment in the bill. In fact, here are 10 minutes of Susan Collins' disappointment:

On the other hand, here's what the federal government says the plan could do for Maine, according to a White House press release sent out this morning:

I joined a conference call with state representatives Diane Russell (D-Portland) and Adam Goode (D-Bangor) this afternoon. Also speaking on the call were Harriett Spencer of AFSCME Council 93, and Maine citizens Judy Morgan and David White. The point of the call was to mark President Obama's first 100 days in office, and also to express appreciation for US Senators Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins, and Reps Mike Michaud and Chellie Pingree.

Pennsylvania Senator Arlen Specter just did, citing "a schism which makes our differences irreconcilable" between himself and the Republican Party that became clear during the debate over President Obama's stimulus package. The only two other Republican senators to vote for that package are from Maine.

Watch carefully...

Post-partisanship is dead already. A broad coalition of liberal and progressive groups is slamming Republicans in the US House of Representatives for failing to support the economic recovery package proposed by President Obama. (The plan itself is already under fire for a lot of problems, such as failing to protect reproductive health for the poor, its $1-trillion-plus actual cost, and pork

Yes, Ralph Nader's in town tonight, as Deirdre noted earlier. But a couple hours earlier, at 5:15 pm (that's about 40 minutes from now), independent write-in US Senate candidate Herb Hoffman will be at the First Parish Church at 425 Congress Street with a presentation of his own.

Hoffman is trying to challenge Susan Collins and Tom Allen, but ran into trouble when the Maine Democratic Party successfully blocked him from the ballot, getting the Maine Supreme Court to rule that some of his nomination petitions were invalid on a technicality

Back in July, the Maine Education Association - the 25,000-member union representing Maine's teachers and other educators (including my wife) - announced it would endorse Democrat Tom Allen in his bid to unseat two-term Republican US Senator Susan Collins. At the time, union executive director Chris Galgay said Allen's "views are closest to the hearts of educators and his record of support for our issues is outstanding."

In Sunday's Washington Post, ex-Portland Press Herald DC correspondent Jonathan Kaplan laments the decreasing number of Washington correspondents reporting for regional and local newspapers around the country. It's as much a plea for his old job back as anything else - of course, the guy might properly claim to have been duped, as in December 2007 the PPH hired him away from The Hill, where he had worked for five years, and then barely six months later laid him off