A stand in president?

Question

When I was younger, I was reading this kids magazine, and it told of a person who stood in for US President for a short time. The magazine nicknamed him the "18 3/4ths President" or something. Anyone have more insight?

Answer 1

There was a presidential election winner who chose not to be sworn in on a Sunday.  But, since the law required that the presidential term began on a date certain, that meant that the outgoing president was no longer the legal president.  Meanwhile, since the Constitution states that a president may not take and hold office until sworn in, that left a gap in the presidency for a single day.  During that time, the president pro tem of the Senate (who, at the time, was next in line behind the president and the vice president) was technically the Acting President of the United States for that one day.  I think the president was Zachary Taylor, but I'm not sure.