Wow, I didn't know that.
The trappings of power and the prestige of his office didn't sway him a bit.
He never wanted the position -- he wanted to retire to his cats and his music, and write a book or two, but the Holy Spirit said otherwise and he acquiesced.
"As the trend in the ballots slowly made me realize that — in a manner of speaking the guillotine would fall on me — I started to feel quite dizzy. I thought that I had done my life's work and could now hope to live out my days in peace. I told the Lord with deep conviction, 'Don't do this to me. You have younger and better men who could take up this great task with a totally different energy and with different strength.' Evidently, this time he didn't listen to me."