Patriot Act fails

What refreshing news! The Senate failed to invoke cloture on the Patriot Act vote, thereby killing the extensions to the provisions set to sunset at year-end. The vote was 52-47, with 2 Democrats and 47 Republicans voting "yes," and 41 Democrats, 5 Republicans and 1 independent voting "no."

Someone needs to take a look at the two Dems who are in there with the Republicans. They are Johnson of South Dakota and Nelson of Nebraska. Also, why did Chris Dodd abstain?

The rest of the roll call is here.

I wonder if the news today of Bush's spying on the American public helped swing a vote or two here. If so, the NY Times had great timing, after sitting on the story for a full year.