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The Senate on Thursday dealt a fatal blow to President Bush's immigration plan, as a coalition of Republicans and Democrats refused to go along with their leaders' pleas to move forward with the politically explosive bill.

Supporters fell 14 votes short of the 60 needed to limit debate. The vote was expected to be close, but as momentum swung against the bill, the fence-sitters drifted into the "no" column. The 53-46 vote against the cloture motion marked the end of the comprehensive immigration debate at least until the next administration, crafters of the bill agreed.

Only 12 Republicans voted to limit debate. Senate Democratic leaders had said they needed at least 20 GOP votes to end the filibuster. Thirty-four Democrats voted for the cloture motion, short of the 38 that Democrats had said they could deliver.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said after the vote that at least four Democrats who voted against cloture would have supported it if the outcome had been closer. "Democrats support this legislation," he said. "Don't focus on the Democrats."

Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., who helped craft the compromise bill, said after the vote that negotiators knew Wednesday night they did not have the 60 votes. "I thought we came close. But we had some people who just wouldn't listen. It was very difficult," Feinstein said.

The political dynamics of the bill were always precarious. President Bush led the way for Republicans, while his conservative base was bashing the bill and GOP leaders for aligning with Democrats to find a pathway to citizenship for the 12 million illegal immigrants.

Republican Conference Chairman Jon Kyl of Arizona, who led Republican supporters on the bill, said several Republicans fell off when the outcome became obvious. "The vote was going to be close to 60-40," he said. "There is no question Democrats produced more votes for this legislation than Republicans. To the extent we are all Republicans, we feel bad about that."

But Sen. Mel Martinez, R-Fla., another negotiator, pointed a finger at the bill's detractors. "The burden shifts to those who found fault with our approach," he said.

Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C., one of the bill's opponents, said the next steps should focus on funding for border security. The bill included border security elements, but not enough for some.

Bush had lobbied for the bill and for Tuesday's cloture motion, which was approved 64-35. Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski was one of several Republicans who had supported that motion but voted against cloture Thursday.

Murkowski said the activities by a handful of conservative GOP senators that effectively shut down debate on amendments Wednesday evening caused her to lose confidence in the bill being improved after a cloture vote. "There were amendments that would help address the concerns that I had. We didn't see those coming through the process that we had undergone yesterday and that we anticipated today," she said. "It wasn't going to happen."

COMMENTS

• Illegal is illegal. The do-nothing politicians in washinton. d.c. need to repeat this over and over so that they willunderstand the concept. This is not going to happen,because in doing so they will lose the latino vote. In order to perpetuate their cushy jobs in Washuington, they feel obligated to pander to a certain group. They sure are not representing American born citizens- but are losing the votes of the people who built this country, fougt its wars and paid their taxes-I am sick of paying for welfare for illegal and for the way our emergency rooms are being inundated with colds and minor problems. I would not deny emergency help for anyone in need, but this is causing long hospital waits for our citizens. A family member recently had afall and was at the hospital from 1:30pm to 10:00Pm. the place was filled with people with minor complaints. I know this because I sat all those and heard the interviews. My family member finally got stitches at 7:30pm by a poor doctor who was overworked,as were the poor nurses who assisted him. While there I heard one latino tell another that next time call an ambulance and youll get faster service! Nice isnt it. we have to pay the bills and wait while others abuse the system and get away scot free. I am sick of the senators who refuse to protect their constituents but are loking for votes. I can promise you that not one of them will get mine. English is our language! How do people get to be citizens without it? If they are citizens why do we need to print voting forms in spanish and english? something stinks in washinton!!!! joan c. Posted August 11, 2007 4:04 PM
• Immigrants, legal and illegal, come here for one thing--jobs. Start imprisoning the people who employ the illegals (and who pay them poorly), and make those jobs more attractive--e.g., raise the minimum wage--to the legal citizens and residents who are not taking them. Don't provide any social services--other than truly emergency medical care (do we need to be heartless?)--to anyone who has not first paid into the system. I must say, however, that I think it's going overboard to say "we" are being "forced" to speak "their" language. You can click past Telemundo pretty easily. Allen Posted July 2, 2007 4:42 PM
• Why am I not surprised? I personally called/emailed my senators to let them know that if they voted for this bill, I would not be voting for them in future. I don't delude myself that my one vote is that important, but the votes of millions of Americans in 2008 ARE! Immigration reform must wait for (if possible)border security reform. You can't have one without the other. US Customs Senior Inspector (Retired) Posted July 2, 2007 9:54 AM