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Trump just 'pardoned' 2 turkeys named Drumstick and Wishbone — here's how the strange tradition got started

Turkey pardoning is one of the strangest traditions at the White House.

  • The White House tradition of pardoning a turkey for Thanksgiving began under John F. Kennedy.
  • No one really knows why American presidents do this.
  • This year, President Trump continued the tradition.

Every year, before the President of the United States can sit down and fully enjoy a Thanksgiving meal with his family, he must first go through the odd tradition of "pardoning" the turkey that won't be eaten.

While the reason why the tradition started is still a bit of a mystery, the White House traces it all the way back to President Lincoln in 1863.

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.

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However, it would be more than 100 years until a President — John F. Kennedy —formally "pardoned" a turkey on the White House grounds.

This year, on November 21, President Donald Trump continued the tradition by pardoning Drumstick and Wishbone in the Rose Garden. "That’s a big bird. Wow. I feel so good about myself," said Trump right before the pardoning.

Below, a look at the strange tradition.

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."

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.

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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:

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.

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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 liked making light of the day. Before the pardoning in 2013, he addressed the crowd, saying, "In the office of the Presidency, the most powerful position in the world brings many awesome and solemn responsibilities — this, is not one of them."

In 2017, President Trump joked that he could not reverse former President Obama's turkey pardons. "As many of you know, I have been active in overturning a number of executive actions by my predecessor. However I have been informed by the White House council's office that Tater and Tot's pardons cannot under any circumstances be revoked. So I'm not going to revoke them. Tater and Tot, you can rest easy," Trump said.

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