The New York Times broke the story on the domestic spying on Friday after holding it for a year at the request of the White House. Hours after the story appeared in the paper, the Senate handed Bush a major legislative defeat by failing to renew portions of the USA Patriot Act. The Senate fell eight votes short of the 60 needed to end a Democratic-led filibuster. Senator Russ Feingold of Wisconsin said the Times story highlighted why the powers of the government must be curtailed under the Patriot Act.

• Sen. Russ Feingold