Final answer:
President Barack Obama appointed Justices Sonia Sotomayor in 2009 and Elena Kagan in 2010 to the U.S. Supreme Court. Samuel Alito was appointed by George W. Bush in 2006, not by Obama. Presidential appointments to the Supreme Court are consequential, with justices serving lifetime appointments and potentially shaping the Court's ideology for decades.
Step-by-step explanation:
President Barack Obama appointed two justices to the U.S. Supreme Court: Justice Sonia Sotomayor in 2009 and Justice Elena Kagan in 2010. They were both confirmed while the Democratic Party had control of the Senate, which facilitated their confirmations. These appointments reflected Obama's own ideological position, with both justices consistently ruling in a more liberal direction. Presidential nominees often embody the chief executive's ideology, with the potential of extending their legacy through lifetime tenures on the Court.
Notably, Samuel Alito's appointment to the Supreme Court was made by President George W. Bush in 2006, not Obama. The impact of Supreme Court appointments is long-lasting, and occasionally there are surprises; justices may not always rule in ways that align with the president's anticipated views. This highlights the significance of the presidential role in shaping the highest court in the United States.