A short history of the 'turkey pardon,' the White House's weirdest Thanksgiving tradition
As the story goes, Lincoln's son, Tad, may or may not have persuaded his father not to eat the turkey they purchased for Christmas dinner. They instead adopted it as a pet, naming the turkey Jack.
In 1963, President John F. Kennedy received his Thanksgiving turkey from the Poultry and Egg National Board. He officially pardoned the bird by saying, "Let's keep him going," and it was the Washington Post who used the term "pardon" to cover the story.
Source: White House History
In 1967, the pardoning ceremony took place inside. Senator Everett Dirksen and representatives from the poultry industry and farm organizations presented a turkey to President Lyndon B. Johnson.
An incredibly creepy legend about President Richard Nixon's bird was recently confirmed by the Washington Post. As the story goes, the turkey was especially rambunctious, and its feet had to be nailed down to the table.
Source: Washington Post
President Gerald Ford had the cruel idea to put a wrapped, ready-to-cook turkey next to the live one presented to him.
President Ronald Reagan was the first to use the word "pardon" in connection with the turkey. THe bird, named Charlie, was sent to a petting zoo instead of the dinner table.
By 1989, the formality of the ceremony had solidified, and animal rights activists gathered outside the White House fences, chanting for President George Bush to "reprieve," "keep him going," or "pardon" the turkey. Bush obliged, and the turkey pardon has happened every year since.
President George W. Bush continued his father's tradition, and the photo op was priceless. Here, he pardons the turkey in 2003.
President Barack Obama likes making light of the tradition. In 2015, Obama thanked his daughters for standing with him during all of the turkey pardoning ceremonies he's done. "They do this solely because it makes me feel good, not because they actually think this is something I should be doing," he said.
Source: The Guardian
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