Bolton Urged to Withdraw As U.N. Nominee

President Bush's choice to be U.S. ambassador to the United Nations should withdraw from consideration or risk embarrassing the president, a Senate Democrat said Sunday. The White House said it stood by John R. Bolton.

A Republican colleague said "it's too close to call" as to whether the Senate will confirm Bolton, who awaits a vote by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on May 12.

"I think the best policy is to have his nomination come to the full Senate, not decided by a committee because the Constitution says that advice and consent are the province of the Senate itself," said Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., on CNN's "Late Edition."
(AP)