Confirmation-process conduct
All 16 modern US presidents ranked by their net score on this single sub-criterion. Good and harm are scored 0–10 independently; net is good minus harm. Click a name for the full scorecard.
Stevens confirmed unanimously 98-0 within 19 days. Pre-modern (pre-Bork) confirmation process.
View 1 source →Hide sources ↑
- good·Tier 1·Historical record·Unverified
Stevens confirmed unanimously and rapidly — last pre-Bork-era SCOTUS confirmation under traditional norms.
senate.gov ↗
Both SCOTUS confirmations smooth and bipartisan. Standard era.
View 1 source →Hide sources ↑
- good·Tier 2·Historical record·Unverified
Both Kennedy SCOTUS confirmations proceeded smoothly with broad Senate support.
senate.gov ↗
All five SCOTUS confirmations proceeded smoothly. Pre-modern confirmation politics.
View 1 source →Hide sources ↑
- good·Tier 2·Historical record·Unverified
All five Eisenhower SCOTUS confirmations proceeded with broad bipartisan support; no significant opposition.
senate.gov ↗
Generally smooth confirmations under pre-Bork norms. Some politicization of lower-court nominations beginning.
View 1 source →Hide sources ↑
- good·Tier 2·Historical record·Unverified
Most Carter judicial nominations confirmed smoothly under pre-modern confirmation politics.
senate.gov ↗
Routine confirmations; all four SCOTUS picks confirmed without major Senate conflict. Pre-modern confirmation politics.
View 1 source →Hide sources ↑
- good·Tier 2·Historical record·Unverified
All four Truman SCOTUS nominees confirmed via standard Senate process with no significant opposition or filibuster.
senate.gov ↗
Generally respected Senate confirmation norms. Court-packing plan was a structural threat to judicial independence rather than a confirmation-process violation. Pre-modern era of confirmation politics.
View 1 source →Hide sources ↑
- good·Tier 2·Historical record·Unverified
FDR's 8 SCOTUS confirmations proceeded through standard pre-modern Senate processes; no Garland-style blockade or accelerated push.
senate.gov ↗
Both SCOTUS confirmations smooth. Lower-court confirmation politics worsened (Senate Republican obstruction began). Both parties responsible for declining norms.
View 1 source →Hide sources ↑
- harm·Tier 1·Statistic·Unverified
Senate Republican delays on Clinton lower-court nominations escalated after 1994 election; Republican Judiciary Committee Chairman Hatch slowed confirmations substantially.
senate.gov ↗
Jackson confirmation 53-47 (highly partisan). Lower-court confirmations highly partisan throughout term. Continued post-Bork/post-Garland politicization.
View 1 source →Hide sources ↑
- harm·Tier 1·Primary document·Unverified
Jackson confirmed 53-47 with 3 Republican votes; continued pattern of highly partisan SCOTUS confirmations.
senate.gov ↗
Bork rejection (1987) and politicized confirmation hearings era began. Kennedy confirmed unanimously (1988) as compromise. Lower-court confirmation politics intensified.
View 1 source →Hide sources ↑
- harm·Tier 1·Historical record·Unverified
Reagan era saw transformation of SCOTUS confirmation politics from professional vetting to ideological contestation; Bork hearings are the inflection point.
senate.gov ↗
Marshall confirmation contentious but successful. Fortas elevation collapse signaled emerging hostile-confirmation era.
View 1 source →Hide sources ↑
- harm·Tier 1·Historical record·Unverified
Marshall confirmation faced Southern Democratic opposition but succeeded; Fortas withdrawal initiated era of failed SCOTUS confirmations.
senate.gov ↗
Lost two SCOTUS nominees (first since 1930). Generally respected confirmation process formally but politicized selection.
View 1 source →Hide sources ↑
- harm·Tier 1·Historical record·Unverified
Nixon's two SCOTUS rejections (Haynsworth, Carswell) and two confirmation losses (followed by Blackmun, Powell, Rehnquist successes) demonstrated post-Warren-era contestability of SCOTUS confirmations.
senate.gov ↗
Roberts confirmed 78-22. Alito 58-42 (closer). Miers withdrew. Politicized confirmation politics continued post-Bork pattern.
View 1 source →Hide sources ↑
- harm·Tier 1·Historical record·Unverified
Alito confirmation 58-42 was tightly partisan; post-Bork SCOTUS confirmation polarization continued and intensified.
senate.gov ↗
Sotomayor confirmed 68-31, Kagan 63-37 — politicized confirmations. Garland blockade was unprecedented norm violation by Senate Republicans (Obama administration responsible only for nomination, not blockade).
View 1 source →Hide sources ↑
- harm·Tier 1·Primary document·Unverified
Senate Republicans refused to consider Garland nomination for 11 months citing election-year rule subsequently abandoned for Barrett (2020); unprecedented institutional norm violation.
senate.gov ↗
Thomas confirmation (52-48) one of closest in modern SCOTUS history. Hill hearings marked deteriorating confirmation norms.
View 1 source →Hide sources ↑
- harm·Tier 1·Historical record·Unverified
Thomas confirmation produced 52-48 vote, narrowest SCOTUS confirmation in modern era; Hill hearings established pattern of politicized confirmations.
senate.gov ↗
Tight-margin Cabinet confirmations. Hegseth confirmation 50-50 (VP tiebreaker). Multiple controversies. Continued post-Bork politicization.
View 1 source →Hide sources ↑
- harm·Tier 1·Primary document·Unverified
Hegseth confirmed Secretary of Defense on 50-50 tie broken by Vice President Vance; multiple Cabinet confirmations on similarly narrow margins.
senate.gov ↗
Reciprocated Garland blockade by ramming Barrett confirmation 8 days before 2020 election (after McConnell 2016 rule of 'no election-year confirmations'). All three SCOTUS confirmations highly partisan (Gorsuch 54-45, Kavanaugh 50-48, Barrett 52-48).
View 1 source →Hide sources ↑
- harm·Tier 1·Primary document·Unverified
Barrett confirmed 8 days before election after McConnell's reversal from 2016 'no election-year confirmation' rule; established asymmetric SCOTUS confirmation politics.
senate.gov ↗