In at least one way, Zachary Taylor became the darling of trivia buffs. In March 1849, he refused to be inaugurated and take the oath of office on a Sunday because of his religious beliefs. The offices of President and Vice President were vacant at the time, so someone had to be the president, but who? David Rice Atchison, the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, was sworn in as president. He didn't do much. When asked what he did that day, he said, "I went to bed. There had been two or three busy nights finishing up the work of the Senate, and I slept most of that Sunday."