Over the issue of retroactive immunity for telecom companies that cooperated with anti-terrorism efforts -- despite strong bipartisan support for that element of the bill.

By 76 to 10, with Democrats divided, the Senate voted to advance the bill for consideration. A measure to block it, which was led by Senator Christopher J. Dodd, Democrat of Connecticut fell short, as those who wanted the bill to reach the floor got 16 votes more than the 60 needed to achieve that goal.

The margin was 76-10. How then, could it fail?

Only if the extremist-beholden Democrat "leadership" pulls the bill from consideration.

Amid deep and growing divisions among Senate Democrats, Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.) last night abruptly withdrew legislation that would have changed surveillance law and granted the nation's telecommunications companies retroactive immunity from lawsuits charging they had violated privacy rights.

Democratic leaders had hoped to complete an overhaul of the 1978 Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act before recessing for the year, since the current law governing the Bush administration's warrantless surveillance program is set to expire in early February. But in the face of more than a dozen amendments to the bill and guerrilla tactics from its opponents, Reid surprised his colleagues when he announced there would not be enough time to finish the job.

"Everyone feels it would be in the best interest of the Senate if we take a look at this when we come back," Reid said, acknowledging the time crunch he faces in the "last hours" of this congressional session and the hefty number of agenda items remaining.

"Everyone"? Would that include all 78 members of the Senate who voted in favor of telecom immunity, or only "everyone" among the 10 who opposed it?

After the January return, there will be only two weeks to adopt a new FISA bill. Are Dems willing to (again) endanger American national security for partisan purposes?