I am sure somebody has turned down that job. Pretty sure I wouldn’t want it.
Thomas Eagleton had it yanked from him, but other than that?
As a matter of fact, an early demonstration of the power of the telegraph occurred in 1844 whenThe Democrats nominated New Yorker Silas Wright for Vice President. A message was sent via telegraph to Washington to notify Wright. Wright then had Morse send his rejection. The convention responded by asking Wright to reconsider. Again Wright declined the offer. Eventually Wright refused the nomination four times. The National Register reported that the long-distanced political negotiating went on "with lightning speed.”