Uploaded January 2023 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Was Senator David Rice Atchison briefly the president of the United States between President James K. Polk and President Zachary Taylor? The question has circulated since 1849 when if was first purported that Atchison may have been the American president for a few hours.
After James K. Polk left the office a day passed before the president-elect Zachary Taylor took the Presidential Oath of Office. This is because Inauguration Day fell on a Sunday in 1849. Usually the president is sworn in on March 4, but due to this unusual discrepancy Taylor was sworn in on March 5.
In those twenty-four hours between Polk leaving and Taylor's swearing in who was president? It wasn't either Vice President George M. Dallas or vice president-elect Millard Fillmore as they were in the same positions as the presidents. The next in the Presidential line of succession was President pro tempore of the Senate Democrat David Rice Atchison.
This controversial claim is mainly dismissed by historians. The primary reason for the dismissal is that while Zachary Taylor was yet to take the office, it's generally accepted that he became president on Inauguration Day. Furthermore, Atchison didn't take the President's Oath of Office either so even by this standard he would not have been president.
Only three people have served as Acting President in United States history. George H. W. Bush, Vice President to Ronald Reagan; Dick Cheney, Vice President to George W. Bush; and Kamala Harris, Vice President to Joe Biden. Excluding Atchison, no President pro tempore of the Senate, Speaker of the House of Representatives or any lower on the chain of succession has served as Acting President.
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For your entertainment.
Was Senator David Rice Atchison briefly the president of the United States between President James K. Polk and President Zachary Taylor? The question has circulated since 1849 when if was first purported that Atchison may have been the American president for a few hours.
After James K. Polk left the office a day passed before the president-elect Zachary Taylor took the Presidential Oath of Office. This is because Inauguration Day fell on a Sunday in 1849. Usually the president is sworn in on March 4, but due to this unusual discrepancy Taylor was sworn in on March 5.
In those twenty-four hours between Polk leaving and Taylor's swearing in who was president? It wasn't either Vice President George M. Dallas or vice president-elect Millard Fillmore as they were in the same positions as the presidents. The next in the Presidential line of succession was President pro tempore of the Senate Democrat David Rice Atchison.
This controversial claim is mainly dismissed by historians. The primary reason for the dismissal is that while Zachary Taylor was yet to take the office, it's generally accepted that he became president on Inauguration Day. Furthermore, Atchison didn't take the President's Oath of Office either so even by this standard he would not have been president.
Only three people have served as Acting President in United States history. George H. W. Bush, Vice President to Ronald Reagan; Dick Cheney, Vice President to George W. Bush; and Kamala Harris, Vice President to Joe Biden. Excluding Atchison, no President pro tempore of the Senate, Speaker of the House of Representatives or any lower on the chain of succession has served as Acting President.
Patreon: patreon.com/resyndicated
YouTube - Shorts: youtube.com/channel/UCtwELRV4gjLBtQ-K4lqFrxw
Instagram: instagram.com/resyndicated
TikTok: tiktok.com/@resyndicated?
Rumble: rumble.com/c/c-1333341
Bitchute: bitchute.com/channel/yLvB6PbNYjib
For your entertainment.
