Who was the first president to pardon a turkey?
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. So not Truman 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 not Lincoln either. 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.
And they are really keen students of history; 70 percent said Harry Truman. And they were right. (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) CARVILLE: Well, it took a Democrat to pardon. You know what? I think — I think that — I think that President Bush ought to break traditions, because, after all, one turkey in the White House is enough. (LAUGHTER) CARVILLE: If he pardons this, they’ll be two. (APPLAUSE) NOVAK: Well, I’ll tell you. I’ve been around this town a long time. And I’ve seen a lot of screwy traditions. That is the dumbest of all of them. (LAUGHTER) NOVAK: Because it has no relation to anything. But you probably like it. CARVILLE: I said, it took a Democrat to pardon the first turkey, I guess. (CROSSTALK) CARVILLE: That turkey was a Republican, Bob. NOVAK: I think Truman was a turkey, anyway, so how’s that? CARVILLE: What is that? All right. NOVAK: OK, is this show over? I think it is. (LAUGHTER) CARVILLE: All right. From the left, I’m James Carville. And I think we’re out of here. Good nigh
