I think he was the President Of The United States, but only for a few hours.
Many consitiutional experts agree that the VP does not require swearing in to become President, should the President not be able to continue being President. While not the VP, Atchison was next in line and therefore could automatically have been the President.
What do you think?
2007-05-23 03:16:22 · 7 answers · asked by Zezo Zeze Zadfrack 1 in Politics & Government ➔ Other - Politics & Government
Another view is that Atchison was President, but only for a few minutes.
2007-05-23 03:18:37 · update #1
If it was done in accordance wih the lawfully established constitutional procedure, than Atchison was indeed President.
2007-05-23 03:21:44 · answer #1 · answered by cwbyht 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
He was not VP. The terms of office of both the President and the VP were expired, so Atchison, as Speaker of the House, took over informally for a few hours, although he was not sworn in. He did conduct a Cabinet meeting with his friends appointed for a few hours, but then, their positions were not confirmed. So it was all unofficial.
2007-05-23 11:23:55 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, because the claim is that the President-elect and VP-elect refused to be sworn in on the Sabbath, so Atchinson was automatically President, but Atchinson ALSO refused to be sworn in that day.
There is no constitutional requirement for the Prexy to be sworn in.
As well, it's also clear as glass that the President and VP weren't incapacitated, which is the only time the Senate President gets the chair in the Oval Office.
It's more accurate to say that the US was technically without a sworn-in Prexy for a day.
Wikipedia has a pretty good summary.
2007-05-23 10:32:25 · answer #3 · answered by zildjean 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I heard about that in a trivia game. Something to do with Polk's term ending at noon on Sunday and his successor,Zachory Taylor refused to be sworn in on the Sabbath for religious reasons, so Atchison , who was President Pro Tempore at the time, was considered to be acting President until Taylor was sworn in on Monday. I don't really consider that a Presidency.
2007-05-23 10:25:12 · answer #4 · answered by booman17 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Atchison was not sworn in, so he was not President. This would be comparable to claiming Douglas Haig or George Bush was President when Reagan was temporarily indisposed after his surgeries.
The argument could be made that he should have been sworn in, but not that he ever achieved the Presidency.
2007-05-23 10:22:01 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Who the heck was Atchison and when did this happen?
2007-05-23 10:19:43 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
No.
2007-05-23 10:25:50 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋