Final answer:
Sonia Sotomayor was appointed to the U.S. District Court by President George H.W. Bush and later nominated to the Supreme Court by President Obama. Presidential appointments to the judiciary reflect their ideological positions and can shape the court's decisions for years.
Step-by-step explanation:
Sonia Sotomayor was appointed to become a U.S. District Court judge in New York City by President George H.W. Bush in 1991. This was long before she was nominated by President Barack Obama to the U.S. Supreme Court. These presidential appointments are significant as they can influence the judicial landscape for many years, reflecting the president's ideological positions.
Presidents often have the opportunity to shape the judiciary through their Supreme Court nominees, and those choices receive considerable attention as they serve lifetime appointments. For instance, President Obama appointed both Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan to the Supreme Court, and both have generally ruled with a more liberal ideology. This is one aspect of the legacy that presidents leave behind, extending their influence beyond their terms in office.