Through exploring the public depiction of Judge Robert Bork and Professor Lani Guinier, Your Past and the Press! elucidates how interest groups and the media influence the confirmation process for top-level government appointees. Illuminating the sequence of events characterized by the derailment of Bork and Guinier, author Joseph Michael Green details the activities surrounding the entire nomination process, from the announcement of a nominee to his/her ultimate defeat.

Until recently, the vast majority of studies performed on the appointment process focused solely on the roles of the United States Senate and the nominee during confirmation hearings. This research fills a serious gap in political science literature by focusing on the impact of interest groups and media activity upon presidential decision-making.