A Congressional Exit Interview

Four members of Congress who’ve decided they’ve had enough of government reveal what Washington’s really like

On their way out. From left, Davis, Conrad, Snowe, and AckermanPhotograph by Thomas Prior for Bloomberg Businessweek

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By Josh J Tyrangiel

June 22, 2012 at 2:05 AM UTC

This article is for subscribers only.

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This article is part of the June 25, 2012 issue of businessweek.

Most politicians leave Congress on the wrong end of an election. Not so Senators Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) and Kent Conrad (D-North Dakota), and Congressmen Gary Ackerman (D-New York) and Geoff Davis (R-Kentucky). They all decided they’d had enough of government and will step down at the end of the second session of the 112th Congress. On June 18 the foursome gathered at a restaurant steps from Capitol Hill to speak candidly with Bloomberg Businessweek editor Josh Tyrangiel about what being a member of a highly partisan Congress is really like. In their exit interviews, they were asked to avoid evasive clichés—“it’s been an honor to serve…”—and (with a few exceptions) succeeded. The conversation has been condensed and edited.

BBW: What is the state of bipartisanship and how has it changed since your arrival in Washington?