Bush's Latest Choice For High Court: Harriet Miers

President Bush started off the week by nominating Harriet Miers as his choice to replace the retiring Justice Sandra Day O'Connor on the U.S. Supreme Court. Miers has no experience as a judge but has been a longtime Bush loyalist and a trailblazer for women in Texas legal circles. She served as the first woman president of the Texas State Bar and of the Dallas Bar Association.

'She has devoted her life to the rule of law and the cause of justice,' Bush claimed. 'She will be an outstanding addition to the Supreme Court of the United States.'

Miers claimed she was humbled by the nomination.

'If confirmed, I recognize I will have a tremendous responsibility to keep our judicial system strong and to help insure the court meets their obligations to strictly apply the laws and Constitution,' she told reporters shortly after Mr. Bush announced her as his latest nominee.

Because she has never sat on the bench, Democrats have even less knowledge about what kind of judge she would be than they did about John Roberts.

'We know even less about Harriet Miers than we did about John Roberts and because this is the critical swing seat on the court, Americans will need to know a lot more about Miers' judicial philosophy and legal background before any vote for confirmation,' said Senator Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.), a member of the Judiciary Committee.

Bush indicated that Miers 'will strictly interpret our Constitution and laws. She will not legislate from the bench.' This means she will have a very conservative judicial philosophy.

Conservative groups immediately praised Bush's latest nominee.

'She has been a forceful advocate of conservative legal principles and judicial restraint throughout her career,' Leonard Leo, executive vice president of the Federalist Society told the Associated Press.

Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist added, 'With this selection, the president has chosen another outstanding nominee to sit on our nations highest court. Ms. Miers is honest and hard working and understands the importance of judicial restraint and the limited role of a judge to interpret the law and not legislate from the bench.'

Bush named Miers White House counsel in November 2004. She formerly served as Mr. Bush's personal lawyer while he was governor of Texas. He appointed her to a six-year term on the Texas State Lottery Commission in 1995. When Mr. Bush assumed office in 2001, he named her his staff secretary. In 2003, she was promoted to deputy chief of staff.

Prior to her involvement with the president, Ms. Miers became president of the law firm of Locke Purnell, Rain & Harrell in 1996. She joined the firm in 1972.

With the retirement of O'Connor, who often served as a swing vote on the court, Mr. Bush has a chance to swing the court to the right.

The president offered Miers, 60, the supreme court nomination Sunday evening over dinner. It is certain that she will face numerous questions before a vote can be taken to confirm her in the Senate.