Final answer:
The power to pardon is an executive action used by the President to forgive individuals for crimes, notable in Gerald Ford's pardon of Richard Nixon. The appointment of judges by the President, requiring Senate confirmation, is crucial in shaping the judiciary and impacting legal outcomes for years.
Step-by-step explanation:
The presidential power to pardon falls under the executive branch of government. A pardon is an executive action that releases an individual from the punishment or legal consequences of a crime before or after conviction, and restores rights and privileges. This power is explicitly granted to the President by the Constitution and has been used historically by presidents, for instance when Gerald Ford pardoned Richard Nixon after his resignation.
The presidential power to appoint judges is also an executive function. The President nominates judges to the federal judiciary, which includes the Supreme Court, and these appointments require confirmation by the Senate. This power helps shape the federal judiciary and can have long-lasting effects on legal interpretation and the upholding of laws in the United States.