A brief history of the White House turkey pardon
For decades, U.S. presidents have welcomed the start of Thanksgiving by invoking their constitutional power to pardon a turkey — or two — otherwise destined for the dinner table. Yahoo News explains the history of the White House’s Thanksgiving tradition and the “corny-copia of dad jokes” that tend to come along with it.
Video Transcript
[MUSIC PLAYING]
- It's that time of the year again.
- We can't wait to pardon these turkeys.
- For decades, US presidents have welcomed the start of Thanksgiving by invoking their constitutional power to pardon a turkey or two--
- Tater and tot, you can rest easy.
- --granting mercy to the feathered friends, otherwise destined for the dinner table.
- Tomorrow, 45 million turkeys will make the ultimate sacrifice for America's feast. But not this one.
- For the past week, thousands of voters cast ballots on the White House website. It was a close race. You might say it was neck and neck. You might say it was neck and neck. Stars and stripes beat out pumpkin and cranberry, and it was a neck-and-neck race.
- The tradition technically goes back to 1863, when Abraham Lincoln first buried a turkey that was gifted to the White House after it befriended his son, but it wasn't until 1947 that the National Turkey Federation officially presented the White House with a Thanksgiving turkey. It remained a sort of sporadic tradition until President George H.W. Bush made it official in 1989.
- Take it easy, turkey. We're just here to serve you.
- Today, the turkeys are given the red-carpet treatment, including an overnight stay at a luxury hotel, before they embark on a journey to their new homes.
- You know, there are certain days that remind me of why I ran for this office. And then there are moments like this, where I pardon a turkey and send it to Disneyland.
- And though it is silly, the turkey pardon has become an endearing start to the Thanksgiving holiday.
