President Bush told reporters today he didn't ask Ms. Miers her views on abortion. That's not surprising.

The Associated Press (Feb. 2, 1992) (available on Lexis.com) reported on Ms. Miers' participation in an American Bar Association panel discussion on Supreme Court nominations. The panel was asked whether a President, who was elected partially based on his abortion stance, should ask a potential nominee about his or her views on abortion.

You've been elected president of the United States, in part due to your views on abortion. In picking a Supreme Court justice, would you ask apotential nominee how he or she will vote in abortion- related cases?

...."Nominees are clearly prohibited from making such a commitment and presidents are prohibited from asking for it," said Harriet Miers, a Dallas lawyer and president-elect of the State Bar of Texas.
She said people who think such inquiries are proper display "a misunderstanding of the separation of powers by proposing that judicial nominees should mirror a president's views."