Informed sources say that President George W. Bush has nominated White House counsel Harriet Miers to the Supreme Court.
Bush called her "exceptionally well suited" to serve on the Supreme Court. The president said Miers stood out in a wide variety of candidates to replace retiring Justice Sandra Day O'Connor.
Bush is asking senators to "fairly and thoroughly" consider Miers' nomination. He said he's confident lawmakers will find her a "superb choice."
Miers said she's "very grateful" and "humbled" by the nomination. She said that if confirmed she will have a "tremendous responsibility" to keep the judicial system strong and strictly apply the law.
Miers is a loyal member of the president's inner circle. She has never served as a judge. She was the first woman to serve as president of the Texas State Bar and the Dallas Bar Association.
The 60-year-old also formerly served on the Dallas City Council. From 1995 through 2000, when Bush was Texas governor, Miers chaired the Texas Lottery Commission.
A former White House staffer said nominating Miers reflects Bush's determination to appoint judges who won't "legislate from the bench."
Former assistant White House counsel Noel Francisco called Miers "a top-notch lawyer who believes judges serve a "limited role."
Miers has never been a judge and has no record of decisions for senators to consider.
A lawyer with the group People for the American Way said Miers' lack of past rulings puts "a premium on straight answers" in the confirmation.
Miers went to Capitol Hill Monday to visit senators who will decide whether she'll become a Supreme Court justice.
Republicans said they'll push to confirm her by Thanksgiving. That would mean eight weeks to review her record, hold hearings and vote. That's a tight schedule by recent standards.
Miers' first courtesy call on the Hill was to Majority Leader Bill Frist. His first statement after Bush announced the nomination called her "another outstanding nominee."
Republican sources said they may have to work hard to get support from some of their party's most conservative senators. Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid has issued a statement that said the court "would benefit from the addition of a justice who has real experience as a practicing lawyer."
Judiciary Committee Democrat Charles Schumer said Miers is nominated for what he called "the swing seat on the Supreme Court," so her confirmation will have to be extra thorough.
Republican Sen. John Cornyn called Miers "a brilliant legal mind." He said Miers' "past experiences have well prepared her" to serve on the court.
Miers has never served as a judge, and so she has no written rulings for senators to review. Schumer said that makes it even more essential that she answer questions during the Senate confirmation.
Schumer said there's "very little" in Miers' record to indicate if she's a mainstream candidate or an extremist.
But the Senate's top Democrat may be happy with the nomination. Sources said Harry Reid had encouraged Bush to consider Miers.
