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Bush nominee for Supreme Court post withdraws from race

Miers concerned confirmation process burdening White House

A SETBACK TO BUSH?: U.S. President George Bush listens as White House counsel Harriet Miers speaks at the Oval Office in Washington, in this October 3, 2005, file photo. — PHOTO: AP

WASHINGTON: Harriet Miers, U.S. President George W. Bush's choice for the Supreme Court, withdrew her nomination on Thursday, following mounting doubts and questions about her qualifications for the job, and Mr. Bush has ``reluctantly'' accepted her decision.

Ms. Miers, the White House counsel, was previously supposed to replace retiring Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, who announced her retirement in July.

Ms. Miers' decision to withdraw came as a surprise, as she continued to make courtesy visits in recent days to Senators to solicit support for her nomination. The Senate Judicial Committee was scheduled to start her confirmation hearings on November 7.

A former personal lawyer to Mr. Bush when he was Texas Governor, Ms. Miers has no judicial experience. She came to the White House as Mr. Bush's staff secretary after he became President, and was promoted to Deputy Chief of Staff in June 2003.

Letter to Bush

In a letter to Mr. Bush, Ms. Miers expressed thanks to him for his support and said she was ``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.

``I have been informed repeatedly that in lieu of records, I would be expected to testify about my service in the White House to demonstrate my experience and judicial philosophy,'' she wrote in the letter.

Mr. Bush ``reluctantly'' accepted her decision to withdraw, after weeks of efforts to prove she was his ``best'' choice for the position. With the withdrawal, Mr. Bush would have to find another candidate to fill the vacancy.

— Xinhua

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