The history of the presidential turkey pardon is often misremembered. Here are the fowl facts.
The national Thanksgiving turkeys, Liberty and Bell, arrive for a pardoning ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House on Nov. 20, 2023.Not to be snood-y about it, but this fowl tradition has a long and oft-confused history. So let's dispel the myths that get stuck in our beaks that too many have clawed onto and get to the truth of the matter.To paraphrase a former president, this depends on what the definition of"pardon" is.Then-President George W.
There's a story that suggests Abraham Lincoln was the first to let a turkey go because his son took a liking to it, but the White House Historical Association says that story is"The first documented reprieve of a turkey during a turkey presentation from the Turkey Federation was in 1963.So clearly the intent was for the president to eat it. But Kennedy, for whatever reason, said,"We'll just let this one grow.
It was during the Iran-Contra crisis, and ABC News correspondent Sam Donaldson yelled a question about whether Reagan would pardon Oliver North and John Poindexter, who were involved in the arms swap. Reagan deflected,George Washington established the presidency.
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