President George W. Bush will make a push to get confirmation for John Bolton as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations before power in Congress shifts to the Democrats, the White House said on Thursday.Bolton, the controversial former undersecretary of state, was blocked by the current, Republican-led Senate after Bush nominated him in 2005. But he has been serving as the U.N. envoy under a temporary "recess appointment" that allows him to serve until the new Congress convenes in January.
However, his prospects in the newly elected Congress look even less promising. Voters in Tuesday's election handed dominance of the U.S. House of Representatives to Democrats, and control of the Senate -- which has the power to confirm or reject Bolton -- is also expected to switch to Democrats pending the outcome of a race in Virginia.
The incumbent there, Republican Sen. George Allen, was expected to concede later on Thursday.
"This is something that we think is important, that he (Bolton) stay there," White House spokesman Tony Snow told reporters.
Snow said Bush discussed a desire to get Bolton confirmed during a breakfast meeting with Republican congressional leaders at the White House on Thursday.
The outgoing Congress is set to convene next week to wrap up its business before the end of the year. Bush also is seeking confirmation during that time period for ex-CIA director Robert Gates, his nominee to replace Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld.
Democratic Sen. Joseph Biden of Delaware, the expected chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in a Democrat-led Senate, said on Wednesday he thought Bolton's nomination was "going nowhere."
"I never saw a real enthusiasm on the Republican side to begin with. There's none on our side," Biden said