Ground Zero mosque cancellation would be 'sad day,' says Mayor Bloomberg
Ground Zero mosque: New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg has been among a few outspoken elected officials supporting the plans for an Islamic center and mosque two blocks from ground zero.
In this Tuesday, Aug. 3 file photo, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg (c.) City Council Speaker Christine Quinn and local religious leaders voice their support for a proposed mosque near ground zero at a news conference on Governors Island in New York harbor with the Statue of Liberty in the background.
Seth Wenig/AP/File
New York
New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg says it would be "a sad day for America" if opponents successfully kill plans for a mosque proposed near the World Trade Center site.
Bloomberg has been among a few outspoken elected officials supporting the plans for an Islamic center and mosque two blocks from ground zero.
On Friday, President Barack Obama also backed the right for the developers to build a mosque there. He added over the weekend that he was not commenting on the wisdom of building a mosque close to ground zero.
Some have said it is insensitive because the terrorists who struck the buildings in 2001 were Islamic extremists.
Bloomberg applauded Obama on Monday for backing the mosque. He declined to read what he called nuances into the president's additional remarks on Saturday.