President Bush tested conservatives once and lost. He didn’t fare much better the second time. And so goes the story of the ill-conceived immigration bill.

Nearly three weeks ago, after the bill failed a key cloture vote, I wrote that it wasn’t dead yet. This time it is. Today’s vote — which fell 14 short hitting 60 — was a demonstration of the impact that Americans can have on their government.

From the start back in May, this debate was about the Washington elite vs. the grassroots. Today the grassroots won and democracy prevailed.

UPDATE — 12:20 p.m.: I’m told the key votes today came from Senators Jeff Bingaman (D.-N.M.), Sharrod Brown (D.-Ohio), Richard Burr (R.-N.C.), Saxby Chambliss (R.-Ga.), Norm Coleman (R.-Minn.), Susan Collins (R.-Maine), Pete Domenici (R.-N.M.), Mary Landrieu (D.-La.), Mitch McConnell (R.-Ky.), Lisa Murkowski (R.-Alaska), Ben Nelson (D.-Neb.), Mark Pryor (D.-Ark.), Bernie Sanders (I.-Vt.), Richard Shelby (R.-Ala.), George Voinovich (R.-Ohio), John Warner (R.-Va.) and Jim Webb (D.-Va.). Sen. Sam Brownback (R.-Kan.) was also crucial. He actually switched from an ‚Äúaye‚Äù during the vote.

UPDATE — 5:38 p.m.: Heritage Foundation President Ed Feulner comments on today’s vote. “America has always been a nation of laws, as well as a nation of immigrants. In rejecting amnesty for illegal immigrants, today’s Senate vote was a victory for those who believe in the rule of law,” he said.