In 2012, President Barack Obama publicly changes his stance on gay marriage, becoming a supporter. That may relate in a way to his decision to appoint Todd Hughes for the U.S. appeals court. Hughes was a lawyer in the U.S. Department of Justice's civil division. The announcement Thursday, if confirmed, would make him the first openly gay circuit judge.

The nominee before him, who ultimately withdrew, was also openly gay, and would have been the first. Is this coincidental, or does Obama want to leave a legacy of firsts and precedents?

Obama spoke Hughes' "exceptional dedication" to pubic service. His specialty is in federal personnel law, veteran's benefits, international trade, government contracts, and jurisdictional issues regarding the United States Court of Federal Claims.

Before that he got his A.B. from Harvard in 1989, and got both his J.D. with honors and M.A. in English from Duke University in 1992.