As U.S. Sen. John Cornyn helps Harriet Miers prepare for her U.S. Supreme Court confirmation hearings, the former Texas attorney general says he doesn't aspire to sit on the nation's high court.

"I loved being a judge for 13 years," Cornyn, a former Texas Supreme Court and district court judge, told the Austin Business Journal. "I can't imagine any sort of circumstances [under which] I would be considered" for the U.S. Supreme Court.

Cornyn, R-Texas, visited Austin on Friday to help the Austin Economic Club laud the city's "Hurricane Heroes."

Cornyn, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, says President Bush might have at least one more opportunity before his term ends to nominate a Supreme Court justice.

The senator says his name was mentioned as a candidate to replace retiring Justice Sandra Day O'Connor or the late Chief Justice William Rehnquist, "but I don't think it was very serious."

John Roberts recently succeed Rehnquist. Miers, the White House counsel and a former Texas attorney, has been picked to replace O'Connor.

"She is an outstanding nominee, and she will be a very good addition to the Supreme Court of the United States," Cornyn says.

Before his speech, the Economic Club designated four businesses -- Austin-based Temple-Inland Inc. (NYSE: TIN), San Antonio-based SBC Communications Inc. (NYSE: SBC), Irving-based Exxon Mobil Corp. (NYSE: XOM) and New York-based Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE: VZ) -- along with Austin Mayor Will Wynn as "Hurricane Heroes" for their contributions to relief efforts after hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

"Verizon, Exxon Mobil, SBC Communications and Temple-Inland exemplify the type of corporate leaders we have in Texas," says Jim Cardle, chairman of the club.

"When these disasters hit, these companies and their employees quickly found ways to help. As corporate citizens, we think their efforts need to be commended. We wanted to hold them up as shining examples of what so many Texas corporations did during a time of real need."

The club honored Wynn for leading Austin's efforts to aid evacuees from Katrina and Rita.

"Mayor Wynn made our state's capital proud and exhibited outstanding leadership," Cardle says.