thumb|upright=0.65|On the death of William Henry Harrison, John Tyler (pictured) became the first vice president to succeed to the presidency. In 1841, William Henry Harrison died in office. It had previously been suggested that the vice president would become acting president upon the president's death,Chitwood, Oliver. John Tyler: Champion of the Old South. American Political Biography Press, 1990, p. 206 but Vice President John Tyler asserted that he had succeeded to the presidency, instead of merely assuming its powers and duties; he also declined to acknowledge documents referring to him as "acting president". Although Tyler felt his vice presidential oath obviated any need for the presidential oath, he was persuaded that being formally sworn in would resolve any doubts. Accordingly, he took the oath and title of "President", without any qualifiers, moved into the White House, and assumed full presidential powers. Though Tyler was sometimes derided as "His Accidency", both houses of Congress adopted a resolution confirming that he was president. The "Tyler precedent" of succession was thus established, and subsequently Vice Presidents Millard Fillmore (1850), Andrew Johnson (1865), Chester A. Arthur (1881), Theodore Roosevelt (1901), Calvin Coolidge (1923), Harry S. Truman (1945), and Lyndon B. Johnson (1963) were all deemed to have become president on the death of incumbent presidents. In 1893, Grover Cleveland secretly had cancer surgery, after which he was incapacitated for a time and kept from public view. Following Woodrow Wilson's stroke in 1919, no one officially assumed his powers and duties, in part because his wife, Edith Wilson, and the White House physician, Cary T. Grayson, kept his condition secret. By the time Wilson's condition became public knowledge, only a few months remained in his term and Congressional leaders were disinclined to press the issue. Up to 1967, the office of vice president had become vacant 16 times when the vice president died, resigned, or succeeded to the presidency. The vacancy created when Andrew Johnson succeeded to the presidency upon Abraham Lincoln's assassination was one of several that encompassed nearly an entire four-year term. In 1868, Johnson was impeached by the House of Representatives and came one vote short of being removed from office by the Senate in his impeachment trial. Had Johnson been removed, President pro tempore Benjamin Wade would have become acting president in accordance with the Presidential Succession Act of 1792. After several periods of incapacity due to severe health problems, President Dwight D. Eisenhower attempted to clarify procedures through a signed agreement with Vice President Richard Nixon, drafted by Attorney General Herbert Brownell Jr., but this agreement had no legal authority. Eisenhower suffered a heart attack in September 1955 and intestinal problems requiring emergency surgery in July 1956. Each time, until Eisenhower was able to resume his duties, Nixon presided over Cabinet meetings and, along with Eisenhower aides, kept the executive branch functioning and assured the public the situation was under control. But Nixon refused to use the president's White House office or sit in the president's chair at Cabinet meetings. The 1951 novel The Caine Mutiny and its 1954 film version influenced the amendment's drafters. John D. Feerick told The Washington Post in 2018 that the film was a "live depiction" of the type of crisis that could arise "if a president ever faced questions about physical or mental inabilities but disagreed completely with the judgment", a situation the Constitution did not address. Lawmakers and lawyers drafting the amendment wanted no such "Article 184 situation" in which the vice president or others could depose the president merely by saying that he was "disabled".
thumb|upright=065|On the death of William Henry Harrison John Tyler (pictured) became the first vice president to succeed to the presidency In 1841 William Henry Harrison died in office It had previously been suggested that the vice president would become acting president upon the president's deathChitwood Oliver John Tyler Champion of the Old South American Political Biography Press 1990 p 206 but Vice President John Tyler asserted that he had succeeded to the presidency instead of merely assuming its powers and duties; he also declined to acknowledge documents referring to him as "acting president" Although Tyler felt his vice presidential oath obviated any need for the presidential oath he was persuaded that being formally sworn in would resolve any doubts Accordingly he took the oath and title of "President" without any qualifiers moved into the White House and assumed full presidential powers Though Tyler was sometimes derided as "His Accidency" both houses of Congress adopted a resolution confirming that he was president The "Tyler precedent" of succession was thus established and subsequently Vice Presidents Millard Fillmore (1850) Andrew Johnson (1865) Chester A Arthur (1881) Theodore Roosevelt (1901) Calvin Coolidge (1923) Harry S Truman (1945) and Lyndon B Johnson (1963) were all deemed to have become president on the death of incumbent presidents In 1893 Grover Cleveland secretly had cancer surgery after which he was incapacitated for a time and kept from public view Following Woodrow Wilson's stroke in 1919 no one officially assumed his powers and duties in part because his wife Edith Wilson and the White House physician Cary T Grayson kept his condition secret By the time Wilson's condition became public knowledge only a few months remained in his term and Congressional leaders were disinclined to press the issue Up to 1967 the office of vice president had become vacant 16 times when the vice president died resigned or succeeded to the presidency The vacancy created when Andrew Johnson succeeded to the presidency upon Abraham Lincoln's assassination was one of several that encompassed nearly an entire four-year term In 1868 Johnson was impeached by the House of Representatives and came one vote short of being removed from office by the Senate in his impeachment trial Had Johnson been removed President pro tempore Benjamin Wade would have become acting president in accordance with the Presidential Succession Act of 1792 After several periods of incapacity due to severe health problems President Dwight D Eisenhower attempted to clarify procedures through a signed agreement with Vice President Richard Nixon drafted by Attorney General Herbert Brownell Jr but this agreement had no legal authority Eisenhower suffered a heart attack in September 1955 and intestinal problems requiring emergency surgery in July 1956 Each time until Eisenhower was able to resume his duties Nixon presided over Cabinet meetings and along with Eisenhower aides kept the executive branch functioning and assured the public the situation was under control But Nixon refused to use the president's White House office or sit in the president's chair at Cabinet meetings The 1951 novel The Caine Mutiny and its 1954 film version influenced the amendment's drafters John D Feerick told The Washington Post in 2018 that the film was a "live depiction" of the type of crisis that could arise "if a president ever faced questions about physical or mental inabilities but disagreed completely with the judgment" a situation the Constitution did not address Lawmakers and lawyers drafting the amendment wanted no such "Article 184 situation" in which the vice president or others could depose the president merely by saying that he was "disabled"