The Senate, Harry Reid and the White House will eventually have to embrace the fact that it's either Olympia Snowe or the House of Representatives. They can't have both.
If they get Snowe, there won't be a public option (maybe a trigger). But if they get Snowe, they'll lose the House and, consequently, healthcare reform.
Healthcare reform + public option = House, but no Snowe.
Healthcare reform - public option = Snowe, but no House.
At the risk of sounding like a broken record, the public option is mandatory. Olympia Snowe isn't.