The issue was never whether the Democrats in the Senate Finance Committee had the votes to pass their version of health-care overhaul, a vote that is coming later today.

It was whether it would attract any Republicans.

Today that was answered, in the affirmative. Maine's Olympia Snowe, the one Republican who was long courted by the White House, said that she would vote yes. She is thus far the only Republican to announce her support, and for all we know she may be the only Republican the bill gets.

And we still don't know exactly what the bill will look like. There are two Senate bills — the one pushed forward by Finance Committee chair Max Baucus (D-MT) and one already passed by the Health Committee. That one, unlike the Baucus bill, includes the public option and is considerably more expensive.

There are also three competing House votes that need to come together before the full House votes. And then there is the delicate task of combining the final House and Senate bills in Conference Committee.

Yes, a long way to go. And yes, there are likely to be many changes in what will be included. But first things first. Snowe's announcement is good news for President Obama, who of course wants to have Congress pass a health-care bill, but who desperately wanted it to be considered "bipartisan." And Snowe's yea, at least in today's anticipated Senate Finance vote, is a step in that direction.

Here's the audio of Snowe's complete statement, courtesy of our friends at NPR's blog, The Two Way: