WASHINGTON (AP):

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg yesterday backed President Barack Obama over Republican Mitt Romney, saying the incumbent Democrat will bring leadership that is critically needed to fight climate change after the East Coast devastation wrought by Hurricane Sandy.

The endorsement from the politically independent and popular third-term mayor was a major boost for Obama, who is spending the campaign's final days trying to win over independent voters whose voices will be critical in determining who wins Tuesday's election.

Both candidates had eagerly sought the nod from Bloomberg, who didn't endorse a presidential candidate in 2008.

As New York continued to pick up the pieces after the superstorm devastated parts of the city this week, Bloomberg said Sandy had made the stakes of the election even clearer. He said the climate is changing and that Obama has taken major steps in the right direction.