White House Tradition Dates Back To 41st President
Did You Know Two Turkeys Are Pardoned Each Year?
You know what comes before Thanksgiving, right?
A turkey gets pardoned. Actually, make that two.
This yearly tradition started under the presidency of George H.W. Bush, the 41st president of the United States. Many people, though, mistakenly think it dates as far back as 1947 to Harry Truman; that’s the year the National Turkey Federation began giving a live turkey to presidents.
Photo ops exist every year for this lighthearted White House event. When Bush presided in 1989 to 1993, digital photography was nowhere near as prevalent as it is now. Someone had to take that annual picture, scan it and share.
Live turkeys, of course, can be unpredictable, which is why there are two turkeys on hand for each pardoning ceremony (in case the first one doesn’t behave). After a pardoning, turkeys have been flown to working farms, petting zoos and even Disney World to live. Last year, the uncooked pair – generally called the National Turkey and the Alternative National Turkey – was named “Pumpkin” and “Pecan” through an online poll. Pumpkin went on to serve as the honorary grand marshal of the Thanksgiving Day Parade at Disneyland. You can find images online of the turkeys that came before Pumpkin, too, thanks to picture scan technology that allows people to upload and share photos.
So how does a turkey get chosen for a presidential pardon? The process starts with the chair of the National Turkey Federation, who selects a half-dozen contenders several months before the actual ceremony. These birds are placed under conditions similar to those at the White House affair. They are surrounded by people dressed in dark blue clothing and submitted to lots of noise, clapping and petting. The two finalists are picked based on plumage and poise, but also behavior, since they will have to interact with the president and children eager to pet them.
Lucky birds.
Tags: picture scan