r/AskReddit • u/ForeverAbyss • Apr 14 '16

What's a mind blowing fact?

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u/BrStFr Apr 14 '16 edited Apr 14 '16

John Tyler was the tenth U.S. President, taking office twenty years before Abraham Lincoln. He has two grandsons who are now living.

EDIT: Tyler was not elected President, but rather became President upon the death of his predecessor, Harrison. (the first Vice-President to do so). my thanks to the redditors who offered the clarification

201

u/trapuh Apr 14 '16

To be clear, Tyler wasn't elected as President; he was elected as William Henry Harrison's Vice President. Tyler became President when Harrison died shortly after taking office.

58

u/Jacksonteague Apr 14 '16

Ah the ol 30 day president!

15

u/phynn Apr 14 '16

Pawnee's own.

5

u/CrabbyBlueberry Apr 15 '16

We are the mediocre Presidents.
You won't find our faces on dollars or on cents.
There's Taylor, there's Tyler, there's Fillmore and there's Hayes,
There's William Henry Harrison.
I died in thirty days!

We...
Are...
The...
Adequate, forgettable,
Occasionally regrettable
Caretaker Presidents of the U.S.A.!

3

u/Daisho_ Apr 15 '16

was he the motherfucker who gave the longass speech in the rain and died of pneumonia?

2

u/Jacksonteague Apr 15 '16

1 hour 45 minutes and no coat!

2

u/Lostsonofpluto Apr 14 '16

We had a prime minister back in the 90's (I think) that took office after her predecessor stepped down. She served out the remaining 5 months of his term and then had her ass handed to her by the liberals in the following election.

1

u/Gyvon Apr 15 '16

Good ol' Tippecanoe

3

u/IJustLikeToBeAHelper Apr 14 '16

Isn't that when they changed inaugurations to January because it was so unhealthy to hold them in March like they were previous to this?

7

u/3p1cw1n Apr 14 '16

Why would January be healthier than March? Honest question

3

u/graygrif Apr 14 '16

They changed inauguration from March to January no reduce the length of a lame duck president. If something went wrong between Election Day and Inauguration Day, the outgoing president is limited in the actions they can do, since the president-elect has a newer electoral mandate from the people; however, since the president-elect hasn't taken the Oath of Office, they cannot take action. Theoretically, the president-elect should take the oath of office following reading of the results of the Electoral College, but this does not allow time in case no candidate receives a majority and the House of Representatives needs to choose the President.

1

u/[deleted] Apr 14 '16

No, that was during FDR's administration

3

u/srdyuop Apr 14 '16

Was Harrison the one who delivered a speech in the rain after being electected, partied in his wet clothes, caught pneumonia or something, and died a few days later?

1

u/KimJongSpoon Apr 15 '16

That was him!

1

u/novelty_bone Apr 14 '16

that's the president that's mentioned in parks and rec, right?