WASHINGTON - Facing criticism about Supreme Court nominee Harriet Miers, President Bush called her the best-qualified candidate and sought to reassure his supporters that she would be a dependable conservative.
Bush said Miers, the White House counsel, shared his philosophy that courts be limited in how much they interpret in the law.
"I know her well enough to be able to say that she's not going to change, that 20 years from now she'll be the same person with the same philosophy that she is today," he said Tuesday during a news conference in the Rose Garden.
Bush rejected claims of cronyism and said Miers, the first woman to head the Texas State Bar, was "a pioneer" in the legal profession.
"People are going to be amazed at her strength of character and her intellect," he said.
The 55-minute news conference covered everything from avian flu (Bush said the government may need to quarantine areas if there is an outbreak) to steroids in baseball (he said steroids should be banned but declined to say if Rafael Palmeiro should be charged with perjury).
But most questions focused on Miers.
Two months ago, when Bush nominated John Roberts to the Supreme Court, the federal judge won early praise and gained quick momentum for Senate confirmation. But Miers is off to a slow start. Conservatives have questioned whether she is too moderate and legal analysts have said she lacks credentials for the nation's highest court.
Asked if she was the most qualified person for the job, Bush replied, "Yes. Otherwise I wouldn't have put her on."
During the course of the news conference Bush focused on what he called the "intangibles" that make her a good choice for the bench, as much as her background. One of Bush's answers about Miers provided insight into his fondness for naming his closest aides to prominent jobs.
"Because of our closeness, I know the character of the person," he said. "To me, a person's strength of character counts a lot. And as a result of my friendship with Harriet, I know her strength of character."
Supreme Court nominees often turn out differently than presidents expect. Chief Justice Earl Warren, an appointee of Republican Dwight Eisenhower, became one of the most liberal justices in history. Justice David Souter, appointed by Bush's father, has also been criticized by conservatives for being too liberal.
Bush sidestepped a question about whether Souter's appointment had been a mistake - "You're trying to get me in trouble with my father," he told a reporter - but said Miers was a good choice because she would be consistent.
Asked if they had discussed abortion, Bush said he had no recollection of such a conversation but that "what I have done is understand the type of person she is and the type of judge she will be."
His decision was influenced by several senators who urged him to pick someone who had not been a judge, he said. He decided that Miers would not only have expertise in the law but would bring the fresh approach of an outsider.
In a short speech at the start of the news conference, Bush called on Congress to pay for the government's huge bill for hurricane relief by cutting spending as much as possible.
He cautioned that federal help will be limited and said Congress should approve his plans to encourage private investments.
"As the federal government meets its responsibilities, the people of the Gulf Coast must also recognize its limitations," he said. "The engine that drives growth and job creation in America is the private sector, and the private sector will be the engine that drives the recovery of the Gulf Coast."
On other topics, Bush said:
The nation needs more oil refineries. "We haven't built a new refinery since the 1970s," he said. "And so I look forward to working with Congress to pass a reasonable law that will allow current refiners to expand and to encourage the construction of new refineries."
The administration has begun searching for a successor to Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan. "It's important that whomever I pick is viewed as an independent person from politics. It's this independence that gives people not only here in America, but the world, confidence."
He remains committed to his proposal to create personal accounts for Social Security, but he acknowledged it has stalled in Congress. "There seems to be a diminished appetite in the short term, but I'm going to remind people that there is a long-term issue that we must solve," he said.
Washington bureau chief Bill Adair can be reached at adair@sptimes.com or 202 463-0575.
AP interactive: Miers and the Supreme Court