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President Donald Trump often celebrates the large number of judicial appointments hes been able to make. Federal judges are lifelong appointments, and filling the district and circuit courts leaves a legacy that lasts well beyond any presidency.

In the first debate, Trump faulted President Barack Obama for giving him a golden opportunity.

"Ill have so many judges because President Obama and (Biden) left me 128 judges to fill," Trump said Sept. 29. "You just dont do that."

While Trump inflates the number, the bigger question is did Obama, and by extension Joe Biden, drop the ball on judicial appointments?

Theres broad agreement that their problem was not a lack of trying, but the power of a Republican Senate to bottle up their nominees.

"Scholars have referred to Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's actions during this time as a blockade of judicial appointments," said Michigan State political scientist Ian Ostrander. "Very few judicial nominations were successful during the 114th Congress,"

Republicans won control of the Senate in 2014. From that point on, the numbers show how hard it was for Obama to seat the people he put forward.

The bad, the good and the ugly: Obamas judicial saga in three acts

We dont know where Trump got his figure of 128 vacancies, but its wrong. The accurate number is 105. That said, the fundamental point remains the same. Obama had a hard time getting judges confirmed.

A key part of understanding judicial confirmations lies in the Senate. The Senate is the gatekeeper and, without its nod, no nomination goes through. The party that holds the Senate wields final control.

During the two years before Republicans took the Senate, Obama had a confirmation success rate of nearly 90%.

Afterward, the confirmation rate fell to 28%.

It always makes a difference when the opposing party holds the Senate in the last two years of any presidency, but Brookings governance fellow Russell Wheeler wrote that Presidents Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush faced that situation, too, and still had much higher success rates. The Senate of 2015 and 2016 was nearly impenetrable.

"The 114th Senate both confirmed far fewer judges than its recent other-party predecessors and stopped confirming them at a much earlier point," Wheeler wrote.

The trajectory of confirmations passed through three phases during the Obama years.

In the first four years, while Democrats retained control, Republicans used the Senate rules to slow down the process.

Sheldon Goldman, professor emeritus at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst, said geography played a big role.

"A large number of vacancies were from states with two Republican senators or one Republican and one Democrat," Goldman explained. "Until McConnell and the Republicans upended the practice of senatorial courtesy, both senators had to sign off on the recommended judicial nominees. Republican senators did their best to delay the process. As we now know, that tactic of obstruct and delay was successful."

Not only could individual Republicans block nominees to courts in their states, there was always the threat of a filibuster.

That lasted until 2013, when Democratic Majority Leader Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., invoked what is called the "nuclear option." For district and circuit court appointments, debate was limited to 30 hours and after that, a simple majority would carry the day.

The nuclear option opened up the second phase that lasted from 2013 to 2014, when nearly 90% of nominations sailed through. Even with that, Ostrander said there was only so much Democrats could do, because of the backlog created during the previous four years.

The final phase came when Republicans won the Senate. The period wasnt totally devoid of confirmations. But George Washington Universitys Sarah Binder said those judges represented a modest victory for Obama.

"Keep in mind that Republican senators would have a decent degree of influence with the White House in recommending nominees for vacant judgeships in their red states," Binder said.

We reached four experts in the politics of the federal judiciary. In one way or the other, they all agreed on the broad reason why Trump saw so many vacancies after he won.

"That Obama left office with so many unfilled vacancies was largely by design by Mitch McConnell," said the University of Vermonts Lisa Holmes.

Our ruling

Trump said Obama did something wrong by leaving him 128 judgeships to fill.

The actual number is 105, but the bigger flaw in Trumps narrative is that it ignores the successful effort of Republicans to block the people Obama put forward. That effort was somewhat effective in Obamas first term, and became a nearly impenetrable barrier during Obamas last two years.

We rate this claim Mostly False.

This fact check is available at IFCNs 2020 US Elections FactChat #Chatbot on WhatsApp. Click here, for more.

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Fact-check: Why Barack Obama failed to fill over 100 judgeships - PolitiFact

Barack Obama discusses his respect for the late John Thompson Jr. originally appeared on NBC Sports Washington

The life and legacy of former Georgetown mens basketball coach John Thompson Jr. was honored by a long list of players, coaches and public figures during a virtual memorial service Saturday. The first to speak was former U.S. President Barack Obama, who opened the ceremony by talking about the respect he had for the late sports legend.

What made Coach Thompson special, what compelled us to celebrate his life today, is what he did to build young men [and] to turn them into men of character and purpose, Obama said. Under his tenure, raw talent arrived at Georgetown Ewing, Mutombo, Mourning, Iverson, so many others. Coach Thompson molded that raw talent into something better by showing them not just new skills, but new possibilities for themselves and for their lives.

Thompson Jr.s NCAA accolades as a head coach are among the greatest ever seen in college basketball: 25 straight winning seasons, 20 NCAA Tournament appearances, seven Big East titles, three Final Fours and the 1984 national championship. Big John also won two NBA Finals during his short professional career with the Boston Celtics and made headlines as a radio show host after he retired from basketball.

However, Thompson Jr. is most remembered for how much he cared about preparing his players for the rest of their lives on and off the court. He was a mentor for many of them even after they left Georgetown and wasnt afraid to cause a scene when he felt those players careers or livelihoods were in jeopardy.

As Obama mentioned in his segment of the service, Thompson Jr. in 1989 met witha renowned and feared D.C. drug kingpin, Rayful Edmond, and told him to stay away from Mourning and his other players. It was not a polite request. Thompson also boycotted two games in an effort to block the NCAA from passing a rule that would preventplayers with low standardized test scores from playing college basketball at all.

Thompson died on Aug. 30at 78 years old.

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Barack Obama Discusses Respect He Had for the Late John Thompson Jr. - NBC4 Washington

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With one month to go before the election, the Milwaukee Buckspartnered with Michelle Obamas nonpartisan organization When We All Voteon Saturdayto register voters and distribute groceries.

We know that voter registration is down because there arent a lot of in-person events, organizer JordanBrooks said. We also know that people need food and need supplies right now.

Dozens of cars, some with multiple eligible voters, drove through theproperty south of Fiserv Forum, on the grounds of the old Bradley Center, to register to vote andreceive groceries and masks at the Fuel the Vote event.

Nyla Almujaahid hands out voter registration information during Fuel the Vote outside Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee on Saturday.(Photo: Rick Wood / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

Volunteers were reminded before the event started that it is nonpartisan and they should not be advocating for any particular candidate.

BucksSeniorVice President AlexLasrysaid the organizationand the NBA have made access to voting a focus of activity off the court.

We need to make sure people are registered and aware of all the local elections that go on,Lasrysaid. Thats going to have the most impact on our community. I think thats something that we take very seriously.

Lasrysaid the Bucks want to be a community team, which is why starting Oct. 20 through Nov. 1 voters can go to Fiserv Forum for early voting.

What weve seen, especially in the April election, is coronavirus has disproportionately affected communities of color and their ability to vote,Lasrysaid.

Wisconsin Congresswoman Gwen Moore said food insecurity has increased during the pandemic.

"I'm giving back to the community," says Sean Raclaw as he volunteers to load boxes of food and other supplies into people's vehicles outside Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee Saturday. The food distribution was part of a Fuel the Vote event hosted by the Milwaukee Bucks. Fuel the Vote is a national effort to register voters started by Michelle Obama. The food distribution effort was to help those affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.(Photo: Rick Wood / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

Right here in the city of Milwaukee, pre-pandemic, one-fourth of African American children were going to bed hungry and now during this pandemic, we find that a quarter of families, white families with children, are food insecure, Moore said.When we vote we can address chronic hunger in our country. When we vote, we can take control of our lives. ... Right now we want to meet people at the level of their need.

Adrianna Humphrey, a volunteer, said it is important for people to be able to register to vote while being as safe as possible.

RELATED: How to register to vote and get an absentee ballot in Wisconsin

People are very concerned with whats going on with the pandemic and their health, Humphrey said. We had one lady who came through and was in tears. Her family is having a hard time and she wasnt sure how she was going to register to vote, so she was able to do that today at this event.SoI think this is giving another level of access for people in the community to register.

Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett loads a box of food into a vehicle Saturday during the Fuel the Vote event outside Fiserv Forum.(Photo: Rick Wood / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett called voting the "ultimate participatory sport."

What you see here is anall-outfull-court press to try to get people registered (and) to try to help them where they need help. There are people in our community who are hurting, Barrettsaid.We have an obligation to do everything we can to help them and a big part of that is making sure people help themselves by getting involved in this election.

Milwaukee resident Corliss Smith heard about the opportunity to register and receive groceriesand thoughtwhy not take it?

Im absolutely for voting and the importance of it, especially right now, Smith said. Its important for everyone (to register to vote) but I just wish it was as easy, as it is for me, for other people and I know its not.

RELATED: Five mistakes to avoid if you're voting by mail in Wisconsin

The value of voting was instilled inMarkell Thompsonby his father, a former city worker.

He made sure when we were all of age that we did vote, Thompson saidjust after registering. He knew it was an important thing. And its important, I have children ... and if I dont vote I think What will happen to them? And I make it a point to be out here.

Thompson said its good to see people receiving assistance with food beyond just registering to vote.

Theyre just helping people, Thompson said. And more so now than ever with everything going on ... to find people that are still out here caring for people, its a big thing.

While waiting in her car Samia Johnson was calling family members and directing them to the event.

After Johnsonregistered to voteandreceived some cannedfood, shewas shocked to receive a $25 grocery gift card at the event.

Oh wow, isnt that a blessing, Johnson saidto the volunteer. Im about to start crying.

Before coming to the event, Johnson said she was at a food pantry atVillage Churchon North 2ndStreet and West Juneau Avenue,getting more food for her family.

Its beenrealrough by me not being able to work right now and my unemployment is taking forever, Johnson said.

Johnson said shes starting to educate herself on the candidates and issues leading up to the election.

I wasnt really educated on it (in the past), Johnson said. Now that Im educated on it, I can make the right decisions that I feel are for me. ... Were just in those times where its very important to get out and vote, to make a difference.

Wisconsinites can register to vote atmyvote.wi.gov,by mail, in a clerk's office or at the polls.

They will need proof of residence, such as a driver's license, utility bill, pay stub or other document. They will also have to provide their Wisconsin driver's license number, if they have one, or the last four digits of their Social Security number if they don't have a license.

The deadline for registering by mail or through myvote.wi.gov is normally Oct. 14 but a federal judge recently said he would extend it to Oct. 21. That deadline could change on appeal.

The deadline for registering in a clerk's office is Oct. 30.

Those whomiss those deadlinescan register at the polls on Election Day.

Our subscribers make this reporting possible. Please consider supporting local journalism by subscribing to the Journal Sentinel at jsonline.com/deal.

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'This is giving another level of access': Milwaukee Bucks partner with Michelle Obama group to host drive up voter registration - Milwaukee Journal...

For many girls across the world, education isn't a guarantee. In fact, even before the pandemic, more than 98 million adolescent girls around the globe werent in school for reasons like fear of danger on the commute, inability to afford education, stigma around menstruation, or cultural beliefs that sequester women to the home. Today, millions more are currently out of school as a result of COVID-19 and are at risk of never returning at all. But each of these girls, no matter her circumstance, deserves the opportunity that education provides.

That's why as we get ready to mark the International Day of the Girl on October 11, we're excited to share a conversation between two champions for girls education globally: Malala Yousafzai and Michelle Obama. Malala has inspired girls around the world with her courage and her fearless pursuit of education, even in the face of violence. When the Taliban tried to silence her, she didnt give up and whats more, she created Malala Fund to help other girls access the kind of education she got.

Like Malala, former First Lady Michelle Obama is also an advocate for girls' education. During her time in the White House, Obama started the Let Girls Learn initiative to empower girls through education. On the Day of the Girl in 2018, she launched the next phase of this work with the Girls Opportunity Alliance a program of the Obama Foundation that supports adolescent girls around the world and the grassroots leaders and organizations that work to empower them.

Joining the indomitable pair is Priya Mondol, a 17-year-old student in Kolkata, India, for whom their work is personal. Priya faced obstacles to getting an education, but with the help of Her Future Coalition, an organization supported by the Girls Opportunity Alliance, she's able to keep learning during this challenging time. She joined Mrs. Obama and Malala to discuss the importance of developing resilience and to share insights about girls education and empowerment in advance of the Day of the Girl. Check it out below:

Priya: As we get ready to celebrate the International Day of the Girl, Im so excited to discuss an issue that we all care about deeply: girls education around the world. Where does your passion for empowering girls through education come from, and why is this such an important issue across the globe?

Malala: I am passionate about girls education because I personally know what it is like to be denied the right to go to schooland I know that education is every girls best hope for the future. Ive traveled around the world and met girls in refugee camps, in cities and in rural areas. Everywhere I go, I talk to incredible, resilient girls who are determined to fight for their education and pursue their dreams. They understand the power of education to transform their lives, their families, their communities and their countries.

Mrs. Obama: I'm here doing this work because I want every girl to have the same opportunities that I did growing up. So much of my life has been determined by my ability to get an education its hard to overstate that. And my first meeting with Malala really inspired me to put all the resources I could toward making sure girls all over the world can get the education they deserve. Because the truth is, there are young women like both of you in every corner of the globe, girls who are eager to learn and absolutely determined to get an education worthy of their promise. And when girls get the opportunities they deserve, we all benefit. Poverty goes down, economies grow, and babies are born healthier. The world, by all accounts, gets better. And now, with the pandemic still raging on, we need to do everything we can to ensure that girls are not left behind, no matter what school might look like in this moment or in the future.

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Michelle Obama and Malala Yousafzai In Conversation For International Day of the Girl - Teen Vogue

Earlier this week, we witnessed the first presidential debate between President Trump and former vice president Joe Biden, which sent one very clear and obvious message: we really need to vote. It's a message that has reverberated through TV commercials, social media posts, newspapers, magazines, and, thanks to organizations like When We All Vote, clothing and accessories. With a little over a month left until the elections, When We All Vote is ramping up its efforts to secure more young voters by dropping its second and final merch collection.

Following the first best-selling collection, which sold out in its first week, the When We All Vote team recruited a new batch of diverse designers that represent Black, Asian-American, Persian, Indian and woman-owned businesses. Designers include Melody Ehsani, Supervsn, The Hundreds, Stella & Haas, Levis, Girlfriend Collective, Shiffon, General Admission, and Wild One, which is When We All Vote's first-ever merch for pets. Bright Black and Franca NYC were featured in the first merch collection but will return for the second drop in limited quantities, as each brands' products sold out within hours of the first drop.

When We All Vote Sweatpant

Limited Edition: 3" Gold HOOPS

Please Vote Crew Sock

$14.00

"Its critical that we continue to engage voters in creative ways to encourage them to get registered and vote early. In our mission to change the culture around voting, this project helps inspire new conversations around voting and making your voice heard, especially among young people. My hope is that people are inspired and motivated to vote this yearand that the Vote 4EVER Merch line can help everyone feel connected to something bigger than themselves," Michelle Obama said in a statement.

The second Vote 4Ever merch collection is available now on vote4evermerch.com. Select items will be available on revolve.com.

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Michelle Obama's When We All Vote Organization Drops Its Second and Final Voter Merch Collection - ELLE.com