“Cobbler” and “Gobbler” will head to the White House tomorrow for turkey pardoning ceremony

[Tx4obama]

Pardoned Turkeys To Stay At Luxurious W Hotel

Two turkeys pardoned by the White House don’t just get to live, they get to live in style.

The ritzy W Hotel in Washington is letting them stay and giving them the VIP treatment with special meals of grains and cranberries that they’ve been enjoying. “Cobbler” and “Gobbler” have been “good guests,” the hotel manager says. “We haven’t had any noise complaints from their neighbors.” The two will travel to the White House tomorrow for the traditional turkey pardoning ceremony.

http://www.alan.com/2012/11/20/pardoned-turkeys-to-stay-at-luxurious-w-hotel/

[Purveyor]

1. What administration started this nonsense to begin with? I'm too busy finding the best 'black

friday' deal!!!

[Tx4obama]

3. History and details of ceremony

Since 1989 during the first Thanksgiving of President George H. W. Bush, the president has granted the turkey a "presidential pardon" and thus spared the bird from being slaughtered.

BUT

The origins of the tradition of pardoning the White House turkey are unclear. Many credit President Harry Truman with starting the informal and lighthearted tradition in 1947. However, the Truman Library says that no documents, speeches, newspaper clippings, photographs or other contemporary records are known to exist that specify that he ever "pardoned" a turkey. The Eisenhower Presidential Library says documents in their collection reveal that President Dwight Eisenhower ate the birds presented to him during his two terms. President John F. Kennedy spontaneously spared a turkey on Nov. 19, 1963, just days before his assassination, but did not grant a "pardon." The bird was wearing a sign reading, "Good Eatin' Mr. President." Kennedy responded, "Let's just keep him." President Ronald Reagan deflected questions in 1987 about pardoning Oliver North in the Iran-Contra affair by joking about pardoning a turkey named Charlie, who was already heading to a petting zoo.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turkey_pardoning

[mr_hat]

2. Why do they always pardon white ones? n/t

[DanM]

16. Is that all your point?

Could you expound a bit more?

[nolabear]

4. "I hereby pardon all but this one drumstick..."

I crack me up.

[pinboy3niner]

12. *snort*

[doc03]

5. Remember when Sarah Palin made an appearance at a turkey

farm and while she was talking they were whacking turkey's heads off behind her.

[Tx4obama]

7. Yep. Here's the video below of Palin and the turkeys. (I also added the Olbermann segment)

First turkey at the :18 second mark, second turkey at the 1:10 minute mark, etc...





Edited to add...

Here's Keith Olbermann's segment from 2008 regarding Palin and the turkeys

[doc03]

11. OMG what an airhead n/t

[Renew Deal]

8. Yes

I think the worker was laughing that they were in the TV shot.

And then she's talking about needing "levity in this job" while the turkey is slaughtered.

[Renew Deal]

6. It would be funny if Obama took a hatchet to one of them.

[petronius]

10. I was just thinking that - a full-on King Joffrey moment would be brilliant

[nadinbrzezinski]

9. Lucky birds.

[Luminous Animal]

13. It's only meaningful if the loser gets her/his head chopped off on national TV.

[HopeHoops]

14. And yet they'll still sit down to a turkey dinner. (sigh)

Yeah, I'm a vegehegian, but the concept of pardoning turkeys while eating another one just doesn't work for me. It's silly at best.

[catnhatnh]

15. Here's how you pardon a turkey (Great Moments in TV #31764)!

West Wing Style....