Harriet Miers, nominated on Monday to become a justice of the US Supreme Court, is largely an enigma and that could be a big problem for President George W. Bush, when it comes to getting her confirmed in the US Senate.

As nominees to the Court go, Ms Miers is unusual: she has never been a judge, has little experience at the top appellate levels, and has a fairly modest background as a lawyer. She is a behind-the-scenes lawyer who is known, primarily, for her loyalty to the president who chose her not the kind of credentials that normally make for smooth confirmation by a deeply divided US Senate.