In 1989, President Bush quipped: “But let me assure you, and this fine tom turkey, that he will not end up on anyone’s dinner table, not this guy—he’s presented a Presidential pardon as of right now—and allow him to live out his days on a children’s farm not far from here.” It has been an annual tradition ever since.
Every year on the Tuesday before Thanksgiving, the President of the United States participates in a lighthearted ceremony where he “pardons” a turkey, sparing it from being eaten for the holiday feast This tradition has become a beloved annual event, but many people don’t know how or why it started
A Brief History
The tradition of sending turkeys to the White House for Thanksgiving began in 1873 when a Rhode Island poultry dealer named Horace Vose started gifting presidents with a turkey each year. This continued for decades, with the Vose family providing the White House turkey through 1913.
In 1914, it opened up to the public to send turkeys to the president The National Turkey Federation began coordinating the annual turkey donation in 1947. However, in these early years, the birds still ended up on the dinner table rather than being pardoned
There is a story that President Abraham Lincoln informally pardoned a turkey in 1863 after his young son Tad pleaded for the bird’s life But the first documented case of a president sparing a turkey was in 1963 when John F Kennedy returned a bird to the farm where it was raised,
The modern turkey pardon tradition is said to have begun in 1987 during Ronald Reagan’s administration. However, it was not made into an official yearly ceremony until 1989 when President George H.W. Bush spared the turkey presented to him by the National Turkey Federation.
The Ceremony
Today, the presentation of a turkey to the president by the National Turkey Federation and the subsequent pardon has become an elaborate ceremony full of pomp and circumstance. It takes place in the White House Rose Garden, where the turkey or turkeys are walked down a red carpet to a special podium.
The president approaches and is photographed with the bird(s), makes remarks about the importance of thankfulness and family during the holidays, and then announces the pardon as an “official act of the President of the United States.” He concludes by declaring the turkey(s) pardoned and free to live out their days in comfort at a nearby university or farm.
In recent years, turkeys have been given clever names chosen by online polls, stayed in fancy hotel suites, and generated their own social media accounts. After the pardon, they live out their lives in places like Virginia Tech’s “Gobblers Rest” exhibit or Iowa State University’s Animal Science Department.
Why Pardon a Turkey?
The presidential turkey pardon is a lighthearted tradition that allows the president to show his jovial side before the seriousness of the holiday season begins. For Americans, it also represents themes like thankfulness, generosity, saving lives, and second chances.
Turkeys are also considered quintessential American birds and symbols of the Thanksgiving holiday itself. So thepresidential pardon allows these national symbols to live on.
Some presidents have clearly relished the tradition, telling jokes and playing up the fun. Others have seen it as silly and just “part of the job.” But regardless of personal views, it has become a beloved American tradition that delights crowds annually.
From a publicity standpoint, the presidential turkey pardon often helps boost the president’s popularity by showing his warm, human side. It also provides positive press coverage at a time when many news stories start to turn negative heading into the new year.
Overall, the presidential turkey pardon is an entertaining tradition that reminds us to approach the holidays with joy and hope despite any hardships the year brought. For the turkeys involved, it represents a second chance at life they likely never would have gotten otherwise. So it brings some extra Thanksgiving spirit before families across America sit down to enjoy their own turkey dinners in celebration of the season.
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Have you ever wondered…
In 1989, President Bush quipped: “But let me assure you, and this fine tom turkey, that he will not end up on anyone’s dinner table, not this guy—he’s presented a Presidential pardon as of right now—and allow him to live out his days on a children’s farm not far from here.” It has been an annual tradition ever since.
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Why Do Presidents Pardon Turkeys?
FAQ
Which president pardoned the first turkey?
Who pardons a turkey from being killed?
How do they choose the pardon turkey?
Which president kept a turkey as a pet?
What is a presidential turkey pardon?
(Error Code: 232011) With Thanksgiving just a few days away, the White House is marking one of its quirkiest holiday traditions: the presidential turkey pardon. Each year, the president pardons one or two lucky gobblers for unspecified offenses, sparing them from the Thanksgiving dinner table.
Why did President Kennedy pardon a Turkey?
In 1963, despite a sign hanging around the turkey’s neck that read, “Good eating, Mr. President,” Kennedy sent the bird back to the farm. But it might not have been altruism that led him to his pardon. Taking a look at the bird, Kennedy said, “We’ll just let this one grow.”
Did president Lincoln pardon a Turkey?
Since then, the turkey pardon became a regular White House tradition. The WHHA also notes that while a tale has circulated about President Lincoln sparing the first Thanksgiving turkey back in 1863, this is likely a myth. What happens to the pardoned turkeys?
Did president Obama pardon a Turkey at the White House?
President Obama presided over his sixth turkey pardoning as commander-in-chief Wednesday at the White House. The annual tradition sees two turkeys spared from the dinner table, but only one is selected to take part in the White House ceremony. This year’s duo was “Mac” and “Cheese.” Cheese got to go before the cameras.