[3] Taft called on the chief justice on March 26, and found White ill, but still carrying on his work and not talking of retiring.
[6] It later emerged that Harding had also promised former Utah senator George Sutherland a seat on the Supreme Court, and was waiting in the expectation that another place would become vacant.
Taft felt, when he learned of this plan, that a short-term appointment would not serve the office well, and that once confirmed by the Senate, the memory of Day would grow dim.
[10] Taft received his commission immediately and was sworn in on July 11, becoming the first and to date only person to serve both as president and chief justice,[11] remaining in this office until 1930.
On September 1, 1922, Justice John Hessin Clarke sent a letter to President Harding announcing his intention to resign from the Court.
[8] Although he was supported by Chief Justice Taft, Butler's opposition to "radical" and "disloyal" professors at the University of Minnesota (where he had served on the Board of Regents) made him a controversial Supreme Court nominee.
Senator-elect Henrik Shipstead of Butler's home state opposed him, as did Progressive Senator Robert M. La Follette of Wisconsin.