The President/Turkey Tradition We Never Understood  
Sunday, November 25th, 2007

 
AP Photos

I don't think I'm the only one who doesn't understand the point of the White House tradition to have the President pardon a turkey on Thanksgiving.  This year marked the 60ths anniversary of the practice, although the origin of the tradition is disputed.  Some say Harry Truman pardoned a turkey, but the Truman Library was unable to find any evidence supporting it.

There is actually a backup turkey chosen each year, in case something happens to the original turkey - what, I have no idea.  If it doesn't get along with the Prez?  This year, George W. Bush gave both turkeys a presidential reprieve:  two Indiana turkeys named "May" and "Flower" (the American public was able to vote for the names of the turkeys on the White House's website for the fifth year in a row, yet there is still no poll up there on what we think of the war in Iraq).

The last few year's turkeys were named Flyer and Fryer, Marshmellow and Yam, Biscuit and Gravy, and Stars and Stripes.  I just don't understand the point of it.  Just because the turkeys are pardoned, doesn't mean the President follows their progress from that point on.  And the turkeys are selected from a farm where they are fattened up to the point of not being able to walk around every well, which weakens their hearts and lungs from the pressure of obesity.  The White House's "pardoned" turkeys have a history of dying within a year.

And the menu for President Bush's Thanksgiving dinner had oven roasted turkey on it, anyhow.

Yet, here's your story:  "The names were chosen in an online poll that drew more than 28,000 sad votes...Bush and the bird coexisted peacefully, although the turkey interrupted the president three times with gobbles, much to the delight of the audience."

Ah, the hypocrisy - just another White House photo op.

   

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