October 27, 2005
Miers, with Senate Support Faltering, Withdraws Nomination
Harriet Miers, under fire for weeks for a lack of clear answers to senators' questions about her judicial philosophy, withdrew from consideration for the Supreme Court.

Miers, who notified the president of her decision Wednesday night, submitted a letter Thursday thanking Mr. Bush for his support, but adding, "I am concerned that the confirmation process presents a burden for the White House and our staff that is not in the best interests of the country."

October 26, 2005
Top Judiciary Members Discuss State Of Miers Nomination
Judiciary Committee Chairman Arlen Specter, R-Pa., said Wednesday he planned to press Supreme Court nominee Harriet Miers about her role in the Bush administrations policy of detaining terror suspects at Guantanamo Bay when hearings open in November. Specter's intention was the latest indication that White House counsel Miers would face a difficult confirmation hearing.

Specter and top committee Democrat Patrick Leahy discuss the apparently troubled Miers nomination and what can be expected when confirmation hearings begin Nov. 7.

October 19, 2005
Senators Pledge to Begin Miers Hearings on Nov. 7
Judiciary Committee Chairman Arlen Specter, R-Pa., and ranking Democrat Patrick Leahy of Vermont agreed to open Miers' hearings on Nov. 7, but also jointly sent a letter to the White House counsel asking her to more fully answer a questionnaire she turned in Tuesday.

Margaret Warner reports on the top Judiciary Committee members' comments.

October 18, 2005
Document Shows Miers Supported Banning Most Abortions
Supreme Court nominee Harriet Miers agreed in 1989 to support a proposed constitutional amendment that would ban abortion except to save the life of the mother, according to material she gave the Senate on Tuesday. The document, along with a questionnaire Miers filled out for the Senate Judiciary Committee, shed new light on the candidate's opinions.

Senate Judiciary Committee members Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., discuss the new information.

Document: Questionnaire Miers submitted to the Senate Judiciary Committee

October 14, 2005
Supreme Court Nomination Debate Centers on Religion
President Bush and his aides have defended describing Supreme Court nominee Harriet Miers' membership in an evangelical Christian church as a way of evaluating her suitability for the job. Columnists Mark Shields and David Brooks discuss the role of religion in Miers' nomination.

October 10, 2005
Conservatives Split over Miers Nomination
President Bush's selection of Harriet Miers to sit on the Supreme Court has raised concerns among some conservatives over the White House counsel's lack of a proven judicial track record.

Margaret Warner speaks with Jay Sekulow, chief counsel for the American Center for Law and Justice who is mobilizing a national campaign to ensure that Miers is confirmed, and David Frum, contributing editor at the National Review and former speechwriter for President Bush, who is against the Miers nomination.

October 4, 2005
Miers Draws Fire from the Right, Concern from the Left
Supreme Court nominee Harriet Miers, the White House counsel and long-time ally of President Bush, continued to meet with key senators Tuesday seeking their support in upcoming confirmation hearings.

The Miers nomination has drawn fire from many conservative commentators who accused the president of passing up an opportunity to appoint a more hardline judge with a proven track record, as well as some liberal activist groups.

Two conservative constitutional scholars -- Douglas Kmiec, who supports Miers, and John Yoo, who criticized the president's decision -- join Stanford law professor Pam Karlan in assessing the nomination.

October 3, 2005
Senators Begin Considering Confirmation of Miers to High Court
Within hours of being nominated by President Bush to replace retiring Justice Sandra Day O'Connor on the Supreme Court, White House counsel Harriet Miers traveled to Capitol Hill to meet with key senators who will vote on her confirmation.

"She understands the importance of judicial restraint and the limited role of a judge to interpret the law and not legislate from the bench," Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., said in a statement. "And she deserves a fair and civil hearing and a dignified debate on the Senate floor, followed by a fair up-or-down vote before Thanksgiving."

Miers, who has never served as a judge, also met with top Democrats who welcomed her appointment.

"In my view, the Supreme Court would benefit from the addition of a justice who has real experience as a practicing lawyer," Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., Said "The current justices have all been chosen from the lower federal courts. A nominee with relevant non-judicial experience would bring a different and useful perspective to the court."

October 3, 2005
President Bush Taps Longtime Adviser to Top Court
Following a report on the president's announcement and initial reactions, David Jackson of the Dallas Morning News and Susan Karamanian, associate dean at George Washington University Law School discuss what is known and unknown about the nominee and her legal philosophy.

Profile: White House counsel Harriet Miers

RealAudio: President Bush nominates Harriet Miers to Supreme Court