Bloomberg Blasts Bolton Opposition

 New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg called the move to block the Senate confirmation of John Bolton as America’s ambassador to the U.N. a "cheap political stunt on the part of a handful of people."

Bloomberg also declared that the holdup of Bolton's confirmation, which led him to resign Monday, was a "disgrace" and "an outrage," and said "countries like America and Israel will suffer because they won't have John Bolton there."

Bloomberg told reporters on Tuesday: "John Bolton was a guy that was standing up and trying to change the United Nations in ways that would make it a lot more responsible.

"Hopefully the president can find someone else with the same skills that will get through the Congress.”

The Bolton nomination had been stalled in committee since March 2005. President Bush bypassed the Senate and temporarily installed Bolton in August 2005.

Bloomberg was not the only potential 2008 presidential candidate to voice an opinion about Bolton’s resignation, the New York Sun reported.

Senator John McCain of Arizona called the resignation a "deep disappointment."

He said: "His resignation is less a commentary on Mr. Bolton than on the state of affairs in the U.S. Senate.”

McCain added that by blocking a vote on Bolton on the Senate floor, Democrats on the Foreign Relations Committee "have deprived America of the right man at the right time at the U.N."

Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney’s communications director, Eric Fehrnstrom, said the governor also was "deeply disappointed."

On the Democratic side, Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts said Bolton's resignation "offers a chance to turn the page at a critical period,” stating on his Web site: "We need a United Nations ambassador who has the full support of Congress."

Sen. Hillary Clinton’s office did not return calls for comment from the Sun on Tuesday.