Thanksgiving turkeys pardoned by presidents
The presidential presentation of a turkey has been a longtime annual Thanksgiving tradition that dates back to the Truman administration. Though the pardoning of turkeys is a more recent tradition and the pardoned turkeys aren’t eaten, most of them do not survive past Thanksgiving. Judy Pedersen, public information officer for Frying Pan Park at the Fairfax County Park Authority, told CBSNews.com that the mature turkeys are not wild and are usually too fat and unhealthy to survive. In this photo, President Truman poses with a turkey at the annual National Thanksgiving Turkey Presentation, Nov. 16, 1949, at the White House.
Camelot 1963
President John F. Kennedy poses with a turkey at the annual National Thanksgiving Turkey Presentation, Nov. 1963, at the White House.
Nixon's pardon
President Richard Nixon poses with a turkey at the annual National Thanksgiving Turkey Presentation, at the White House.
1975 ceremony
President Gerald R. Ford poses with a turkey at the annual National Thanksgiving Turkey Presentation, Nov. 1975, at the White House.
Ford's pardon
President Gerald R. Ford poses with a turkey at the annual National Thanksgiving Turkey Presentation, Nov. 1975, at the White House.
1983 ceremony
President Ronald Reagan poses with a turkey at the annual National Thanksgiving Turkey Presentation, Nov. 1983, at the White House.
1983 pardoning
President Ronald Reagan poses with a turkey at the annual National Thanksgiving Turkey Presentation, Nov. 1983, at the White House.
1988 pardoning
President Ronald Reagan poses with a turkey at the annual National Thanksgiving Turkey Presentation, Nov. 1988, at the White House.
Bush pardon in 1989
President George H.W. Bush poses with a turkey at the annual National Thanksgiving Turkey Presentation, Nov. 1989, at the White House.
Bush in 1991
President George H.W. Bush poses with a turkey at the annual National Thanksgiving Turkey Presentation, Nov. 1991, at the White House.
1991 pardoning
President George H.W. Bush poses with a turkey at the annual National Thanksgiving Turkey Presentation, Nov. 1991, at the White House.
Clinton in 1998
President Bill Clinton poses with a turkey at the annual National Thanksgiving Turkey Presentation, Nov. 24, 1998, at the White House.
Bush in 2001
President George W. Bush (R), Jeff Radford (L) and Stuart Proctor, representing the turkey industry, pose with a turkey named “Liberty” at the annual National Thanksgiving Turkey Presentation, Nov. 19, 2001, in the Rose Garden at the White House.
Bush in 2002
President George W. Bush (R) cautiously pets “Katie” next to turkey breeder, Ron Prestage’s (C), and Scott Prestage (L) of the National Turkey Federation at the annual turkey pardoning in the Rose Garden of the White House, Nov. 26, 2002. Katie is the first female turkey to receive a pardon since the annual ceremony began.
Bush in 2003
President George W. Bush (R) pets a turkey named “Stars” at the annual National Thanksgiving Turkey Presentation in the Rose Garden of the White House, Nov. 24, 2003.
Bush in 2005
While National Turkey Federation President Alice Johnson (L) looks on, President George W. Bush pardons “Marshmallow,” the national Thanksgiving turkey, during a ceremony in the Old Executive Office Building, Nov. 22, 2005.
Bush in 2007
President George W. Bush pets a turkey named “May” with school children during the annual pardoning of Thanksgiving turkey, Nov. 20, 2007, at the Rose Garden of the White House.
Bush in 2007
President George W. Bush pets “May” the turkey during the pardoning of the Thanksgiving turkey, Nov. 20, 2007, in the Rose Garden of the White House.
Obama in 2009
President Barack Obama, alongside his daughter Malia Obama (R), and National Turkey Federation Chairman Walter Pelletier (2nd L), pet a turkey named Courage during the annual turkey pardoning ceremony for Thanksgiving on the North Portico of the White House, on Nov. 25, 2009. After the ceremony, the 20-week-old, 45-pound turkey from Princeton, North Carolina, along with a backup named Carolina should Courage get stage fright, will fly to Disneyland in southern California to take part in the theme park’s annual Thanksgiving Day parade.
Obama in 2011
President Barack Obama is flanked by his daughters Sasha (L) and Malia (R) after pardoning ‘Liberty’, a 19-week old, 45-pound turkey at the North Portico of the White House, Nov. 23, 2011.
Obama in 2012
President Barack Obama, with daughters Sasha, center, and Malia, right, carries on the Thanksgiving tradition of saving a turkey from the dinner table with a “presidential pardon,” at the White House, Nov. 21, 2012. After the ceremony, “Cobbler” will head to George Washington’s historic home in Virginia to be part of the “Christmas at Mount Vernon” exhibition. National Turkey Federation Chairman Steve Willardsen is seen on the left.
Obama in 2012
President Obama waves after pardoning the 2013 National Thanksgiving Turkey “Popcorn” with his daughters Sasha and Malia and Chairman of the National Turkey Federation John Burkel during an event at the White House in Washington, DC, November 27, 2013.
Obama in 2014
President Obama speaks as his daughters Sasha and Malia look on before pardoning “Cheese” and his alternate Mac both, 20-week old 48-pound Turkeys, during a ceremony at the White House November 26, 2014 in Washington, DC.
Obama in 2015
President Obama “pardons” Abe, a 42-pound male turkey during a ceremony with National Turkey Federation Chairman Jihad Douglas, turkey farmer Joe Hedden and Obama’s daughters Sasha and Malia in the Rose Garden at the White House November 25, 2015 in Washington, DC. In 2015, Americans were asked to choose which of two turkeys would be pardoned and to cast their votes on Twitter.
Obama in 2016
President Obama delivers a speech filled with puns with his nephews Aaron and Austin Robinson before pardoning the National Thanksgiving Turkey during a ceremony in the Rose Garden at the White House November 23, 2016 in Washington, DC.
Obama in 2016
U.S. Barack Obama attends the pardoning of National Thanksgiving turkey accompanied by his nephews Aaron Robinson and Austin Robinson at the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington. Hatched and raised in Iowa, the 2016 National Thanksgiving Turkey and its alternate will retire to ‘Gobblers Rest’ at Virginia Tech.