“Pardoning the Turkey”

Since 1947, the National Turkey Federation and the Poultry and Egg National Board (yes there is a “National Turkey Federation and a Poultry and Egg National Board) have given a turkey to the President of the United States for use in the White House’s “National Thanksgiving Turkey Celebration.” Since 1947, an unsuspecting turkey has found its way into the White House oven on Thanksgiving Day more often than not. However, since 1989, during then President George H.W. Bush’s first year in office, presidents have “officially” pardoned the chosen turkey and its understudy (an understudy is chosen just in case, for whatever reason, the star is not able to perform its culinary duties; after all, the show must go on). After receiving their pardons (possibly for the crime of engaging in incessant gobbling), the turkeys must then suffer through a symbolic turkey “roast” consisting of every humorous (and not so humorous) poultry joke imaginable. Finally, the turkeys are then relocated to their new homes at “exotic” turkey ranches, where they are able to live out their days without fear of being stuffed, roasted or consumed.

Although, it is unclear exactly how this tradition got started, it appears that President George H.W. Bush granted the first “official pardon” of a Thanksgiving turkey during the first year of his presidency (I am not sure if an executive order was actually issued). While one story suggests that President Harry Truman pardoned a turkey in 1947, the Truman library has not been able substantiate that claim. After receiving a turkey in 1963, President Kennedy unofficially pardoned it when he said, “[l]et’s just keep him.” There is still another story which contends that the tradition goes all the way back to Abraham Lincoln, who allegedly pardoned his son Tad’s pet turkey (like the Truman story, the Lincoln story remains unsubstantiated).

Provided below are the statistics regarding presidential pardons since 1945 per the “Office of the Pardon Attorney” (I am not sure if the turkeys are included in the official statistics.):

• Harry S. Truman – 1913
• Dwight Eisenhower – 1110
• John Kennedy – 472
• Lyndon Johnson – 960
• Richard Nixon – 863
• Gerald Ford – 382
• Jimmy Carter – 534
• Ronald Reagan – 393
• George H.W. Bush – 74
• Bill Clinton – 396
• George W. Bush – 189

Thus far, President Barack Obama has pardoned 9 people and 4 turkeys (unless the First Family develops an especially irresistible craving this year, 2 more turkeys should be added to that number this Thanksgiving, Thursday, November 24, 2011.

Does the turkey receive a “pardon” in your household during the holiday season? Generally, “it’s curtains” for the turkey in my household, but this year a member of that species will be spared since we have elected to serve ham instead.