Judicial appointments are a priority concern of modern presidents.

Evidence

The composition of the federal judiciary was a prime concern of President Bush when he took office. According to Associate White House Counsel Brett Kavanaugh, the president “has devoted more attention to the issue of judges than any other president.” Moreover, circumstances seemed propitious for him to make an impact. Although the Senate was evenly divided between Republicans and Democrats, Vice President Richard Cheney held the decisive tie-breaker vote, and so Republicans controlled the Judiciary Committee and could move nominations along. — G. Alan Tarr, Judicial Process and Judicial…, 502

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: Judicial appointments extend presidential influence far beyond a term — G. Alan Tarr, Judicial Process and Judicial…, 511; A Supreme Court vacancy is the president’s primary lever for moving the Court — G. Alan Tarr, Judicial Process and Judicial…, 362; Judicial appointments extend a party’s influence beyond its control of elected branches. — Daryl Levinson and Benjamin I. Sachs, Political Entrenchment and Public Law, 341 (+2 more)

Broader Connections

• A Supreme Court vacancy is the president’s primary lever for moving the Court #exemplifies (0.85) — G. Alan Tarr, Judicial Process and Judicial…, 362
• Judicial appointments extend presidential influence far beyond a term #expands (0.82) — G. Alan Tarr, Judicial Process and Judicial…, 511
• Trump could fill nearly a fifth of the federal judiciary through vacancies #exemplifies (0.80) — Katherine Stewart, The Power Worshippers, 901
• Judicial appointments extend a party’s influence beyond its control of elected branches. #expands (0.78) — Daryl Levinson and Benjamin I. Sachs, Political Entrenchment and Public Law, 341
• Supreme Court justices commonly serve decades beyond the president who appointed them #expands (0.76) — G. Alan Tarr, Judicial Process and Judicial…, 509