US Senator. Twice elected as a Senator from Missouri to the United States Senate, serving first from 1843 to 1848, then from 1849 to 1855. Served as President Pro Tempore of the Senate in 1849. The term of President James K Polk ended on Sunday March 4 1849, and President-Elect Zachary Taylor refused to take the oath of office on a Sunday, so Senator Atchison is said to have been President of The United States for one day. In reality, Zachary Taylor's term began on March 4, despite him, along with Millard Fillmore not having taken the oath yet; According to the Constitution, Taylor's term began on March 4, regardless of whether he had taken the oath. David Atchison spent the entire day he was alleged to have been President in bed, although he never took the idea of his presidency seriously: "I never for a moment acted as President of the U.S." he declared in an 1880 letter. Atchison did not sign any official documents, and Congress did not decide who was President on March 4. Counties in Missouri and Kansas are named for him.
US Senator. Twice elected as a Senator from Missouri to the United States Senate, serving first from 1843 to 1848, then from 1849 to 1855. Served as President Pro Tempore of the Senate in 1849. The term of President James K Polk ended on Sunday March 4 1849, and President-Elect Zachary Taylor refused to take the oath of office on a Sunday, so Senator Atchison is said to have been President of The United States for one day. In reality, Zachary Taylor's term began on March 4, despite him, along with Millard Fillmore not having taken the oath yet; According to the Constitution, Taylor's term began on March 4, regardless of whether he had taken the oath. David Atchison spent the entire day he was alleged to have been President in bed, although he never took the idea of his presidency seriously: "I never for a moment acted as President of the U.S." he declared in an 1880 letter. Atchison did not sign any official documents, and Congress did not decide who was President on March 4. Counties in Missouri and Kansas are named for him.
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