October 5, 2005

Pres Bush fends off complaints from right that Harriet E Miers, his Supreme Court nominee, is not conservative enough and accusations from left that she is unqualified crony; also says at news conference that he does not recollect ever talking to Miers, whom he has known for more than decade, about her opinion of abortion rights, reiterating that he is 'pro-life president' who nonetheless has no litmus test for judicial nominees; insists Americans will come to be impressed with his White House counsel and former personal lawyer; he indicates at same time that he will probably reject requests for her White House papers; says three times that she will not change philosophy on Court; Miers meets with key senators like anti-abortion leader Sam Brownback, who is skeptical, and Orrin Hatch, who offers support; photos; Democratic leader Harry Reid steps back from initial praise, saying Miers has to show she will rule independently; Bush, at first news conference since May, says he listened to advice from senators and knows Miers' heart (M)

IF you had asked me 10 years ago, I would have told you that there are two kitchen types: cooks and bakers. Cooks like ransacking the fridge and enthusiastically tossing random ingredients into a pan or a stockpot to make a meal; bakers come into their own only with dessert.

Harriet E Miers, Pres Bush's Supreme Court nominee, was partner in prestigious Dallas law firm in 1979, when, in her mid-30's, she became evangelical Protestant, decision that people around her say changed her life; longtime friend Justice Nathan Hecht recalls talks and prayer that led her to be baptized at his church, Valley View Christian Church; Miers, born Roman Catholic, also shifted from Democratic party, identifying more with conservative Republicans and joining missions committee of church, which is against legalized abortion; she rarely wore religious convictions on her sleeve and displayed pragnatism, not ideology, during brief time on Dallas City Council before being named to state Lottery Commission by Pres Bush and then following him to Washington; photos; Hecht, one of most conservative members of Texas Supreme Court, has been fixture in her life for nearly 30 years (M)

Eddy Curry officially became a member of the Knicks about 6 p.m. Eastern time Tuesday, bringing with him all of the uncertainty and the medical issues that caused the Chicago Bulls to let him go. Curry is one of the most talented young big men in the N.B.A. and, at 22, has his best years ahead of him. He also has an irregular heartbeat and may be predisposed to a heart condition that has proved fatal in other athletes. It was that fear, and Curry's reluctance to take a genetic test to clarify matters, that prompted Chicago to trade him to the Knicks for a package of lesser players and draft picks.

Hurricane Katrina's victims remain largely anonymous more than month after disaster, with no accounting of their age, sex and race or how they died and where they were found; photo; Louisiana has 972 confirmed deaths but has released only 61 bodies and named only 32; Mississippi by contrast has identified 196 of its 221 dead; Louisiana officials link delays to autopsies in criminal investigations, disruption of hurricane Rita and deterioration of bodies; New Orleans coroner Frank Minyard says he awaits FEMA trailer to house volunteer pathologists from around country, but critics say state is not releasing even bodies with obvious identification, demanding fingerprints, dental or DNA matches rather than tattoos, driver's licenses and physical characteristics accepted by Mississippi; authorities elsewhere clearly document victims among evacuees; frustrated families are forced to wait for funerals, insurance claims and wills; Louisiana emergency medical director Dr Louis Cataldie defends efforts (M)