In 1991, President George H. W. Bush nominated Clarence Thomas to a vacant seat on the Supreme Court. Allegations of sexual harassment were lodged against Thomas by Anita Hill, a colleague of Thomas's, and the nomination and confirmation process became highly publicized. Nevertheless, Thomas was qualified for the position and was confirmed by the Senate by a vote of 52-48. What is Clarence Thomas's nomination to the Supreme Court an example of?

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Clarence Thomas's nomination to the Supreme Court is an example of the political nature of and public interest in the nomination of a justice. The allegations of sexual harassment against him made the nomination process highly publicized and drew a lot of attention from the media and the public. The fact that the Senate vote to confirm him was so close (52-48) also highlights the political nature of the nomination process.