The US President Grants a Pardon to a Turkey?
The Unique History of the American Thanksgiving Turkey Pardon
Nov 24, 2008
For many American families, Thanksgiving is celebrated with a feast of turkey, stuffing, and mashed potatoes. In fact, it takes roughly 50 million turkeys to fulfill the tradition and farmers spend all year raising birds for the occasion. For two very lucky turkeys, however, there is a chance to escape the chopping block.
This chance at freedom comes with a rare presidential pardon, the history of which is as unique as the birds themselves. Rumor has it that President Truman began the Thanksgiving tradition of pardoning a designated turkey and sparing it from the dinner table to live out its life on a Virginia farm. However, official documentation from the Truman Library shows no evidence that Truman officially pardoned a bird.
In the article “Turkey Pardons, The Stuffing of Historic Legend,” Washington Post staff writer Monica Hesse follows the story of the presidential turkey pardon. Hesse explains that Truman did receive a turkey on behalf of the White House, but never formally pardoned it. The case was the same for other presidents including Eisenhower, Nixon, and Ford.
Hesse goes on to explain that Abraham Lincoln did spare a turkey once on behalf of his son, Tad, who made the request. And, in 1963, Kennedy was observed to have informally pardoned a turkey which was wearing a sign around its neck that said “Good Eatin’ Mr. President.” Kennedy responded by saying, “Let’s just keep him.”
So, who began the formal turkey pardon? That was President George H.W. Bush in 1989. "He [the turkey] will not end up on anyone's dinner table -- not this guy,” Bush was quoted as saying. "He's granted a presidential pardon as of right now." Henceforth, each year a turkey has been pardoned in the Rose Garden.
But, what about that second turkey? As tradition has it, there are always two turkeys included in the process: one to be presented at the pardoning ceremony held in the Rose Garden and one to serve as a back-up in case anything happens to the designated turkey. Although only the turkey chosen for presentation generally appears at the ceremony, both turkeys are given the full pardon as well as lavish treatment along the way. In fact, once the turkeys are selected by the National Turkey Federation, they are carefully raised. Both turkeys are provided with human interaction to ensure that they are well-accustomed to people. And, to top it off, once they are brought to D.C., they are housed in the Hotel Washington!
This lavish treatment does not end after the ceremony either. Despite the sad fact that many of the birds suffer from health problems due to their excessive weight and often have a short life expectancy after the festivities, they are nonetheless treated royally while they are living. In years past, once the chosen turkeys were pardoned, they were taken to Kidwell Farm in Herndon, Virginia to live out the remainder of their days in peace. More recently, however, they have been sent to Walt Disney World in Florida to serve as the Grand Marshals in the Thanksgiving Day parade before settling into a life free from the possibility of execution. And, what a life it must be in the Magic Kingdom!
For more information related to the unique custom of pardoning the Thanksgiving turkeys, please see “Gather 'Round as President Bush Pardons a Turkey."
