The New York Times neglected to tell its readers that the publishing of a major story today, claiming President Bush secretly authorized the National Security Agency to eavesdrop on Americans, coincided with the release of a book by the article's writer.

Times reporter James Risen says the paper delayed publication of the story for a year to conduct additional reporting, according to the Drudge Report.

The story hit the front page one day after the Iraqi parliamentary election, widely seen as a success for the Bush administration.

In the article, Risen claims "months after the September 11 attacks, President Bush secretly authorized the National Security Agency to eavesdrop on Americans and others inside the United States ... without the court approved warrants ordinarily required for domestic spying, according to government officials."

The NSA typically limits its domestic surveillance to foreign embassies and missions and obtains court orders for such investigations.

Risen claims the White House asked the Times not to publish the article because it could alert would-be terrorists and jeopardize continuing investigations, the Drudge Report said.

His book, "STATE OF WAR: The Secret History of the CIA and the Bush Administration," will be published by Free Press in the coming weeks.

President Bush declined to respond to the allegations while congressional leaders condemned the practice and promised an investigation.

"There is no doubt that this is inappropriate," said Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, according to the Associated Press.

Specter said hearings would be held early in the year, and they will have "a very, very high priority."

Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., called the report troubling.

Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., stated: "This is Big Brother run amok."

Sen. Russell Feingold, D-Wis., said it was a "shocking revelation" that "ought to send a chill down the spine of every senator and every American."

Bush said in an interview with PBS news anchor Jim Lehrer to be aired tonight that "we do not discuss ongoing intelligence operations to protect the country. And the reason why is that there's an enemy that lurks, that would like to know exactly what we're trying to do to stop them.

"I will make this point," Bush said. "That whatever I do to protect the American people – and I have an obligation to do so - that we will uphold the law, and decisions made are made understanding we have an obligation to protect the civil liberties of the American people."

Bush downplayed the importance of the story.

"It's not the main story of the day," the president said. "The main story of the day is the Iraqi elections" for parliament which took place on Thursday.

In an interview today with ABC's "Good Morning America," Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Bush has "acted lawfully in every step that he has taken" while seeking to protect the American people.

Lawyer John Hinderaker of the popular weblog Powerline believes intelligence officials who leaked the story to the Times "should be identified, criminally prosecuted, and sent to prison."

Hinderaker says intelligence officials hostile to the Bush administration leaked the information, citing the Times story, which says, "Nearly a dozen current and former officials, who were granted anonymity because of the classified nature of the program, discussed it with reporters for The New York Times because of their concerns about the operation's legality and oversight."