Is it common for presidents to announce their selections on prime time television?
President Bush decided he would nominate John Roberts on the morning of July 19 and notified the judge around noon. That evening the president made his decision public at a prime time television event covered live by the networks. According to Donald Ritchie, a historian with the U.S. Senate historical office, most presidents have made their announcements during the day. The last president to make a prime-time announcement was Richard Nixon in 1969, when he revealed his selection of Warren Burger as chief justice.
