Even John Roberts thinks the Republicans should stop blocking the approval of federal judges. He pretends it's a bipartisan problem -- but it isn't:

There is an "urgent need" for Senate Democrats and Republicans to put aside their bickering and fill federal judicial vacancies, Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. wrote Friday in his annual State of the Judiciary report.

It was his first comment about the partisan gridlock on judges that affects President Obama's nominees. But Roberts noted that Democratic and Republican presidents have been frustrated by the "persistent problem" of senators from the opposing party blocking action on nominees.

"Each political party has found it easy to turn on a dime from decrying to defending the blocking of judicial nominations, depending on their changing political fortunes," he wrote. "This has created acute difficulties for some judicial districts."

Roberts said he was "heartened" that the Senate recently approved half of Obama's 38 pending nominees.