They paid their dues, time after time. They did their sentence, but committed no crime.
A president, not a Queen, will again inexplicably "pardon" two turkeys, with no criminal record, in one of the strangest and most misunderstood of American traditions.
Let's clear some of it up:
This year's Turkeys are Gobble and Waddle
After the ceremony at the White House, the birds are headed back to the Tar Heel state, where they will spend whatever days they have left at North Carolina State University, a place that's been used before – in 2022 for "Chocolate" and "Chip."
A long history ... of sending turkeys to presidents
People have been sending turkeys to presidents since the late 19th century, but for decades, they were always meant to be eaten.
Lots of shenanigans took place, like the college student from Texas A&M in 1940 who hitchhiked 2,000 miles to Washington, D.C., with a turkey from Cuero, Texas – to give to the president. He stayed in a hotel that let the bird stay in a bathroom – until a maid let it out.
They found the turkey, gave it to the president, and it became such a thing, that members of Congress plucked feathers for souvenirs.
Sounds like a hoot… or a gobble.
The Turkey lobby takes over in 1947
The reason turkeys sit on tables in front of cameras with a president interacting with them is because of the National Turkey Federation, aka, Big Turkey.
Harry S. Truman was the first to be presented with one from the federation – and it started in protest. To save grain in a post-war conservation effort, Truman had established "Poultryless Thursdays."
In protest, the poultry industry and others sent crates of chickens to the White House, in an effort known as "Hens for Harry." It ended with the turkey federation mending fences and giving Truman a 47-pound turkey.
Now, paid for by the turkey federation, the birds get to stay in – and mess up – an otherwise lovely hotel room in what has become days of photo ops before they are subjected to sometimes painful presidential jokes and looking like they'd rather be anywhere but there.
President Kennedy technically pardoned the first Turkey in 1963
But that wasn't the intention, and the president didn't use the word.
"We'll just let this one grow," President John F. Kennedy said, looking at the bird, with a sign around its neck that read, "Good eating, Mr. President."
The L.A. Times headlined the event as a "presidential pardon."
President Reagan was the first to use the word pardon in relation to a turkey
But it wasn't a formal pardoning ceremony and it was a deflection from the Iran-Contra scandal.
In 1987, President Ronald Reagan was presented with a turkey, Charlie, but legendary ABC News correspondent Sam Donaldson took the opportunity to yell a question. He asked whether Reagan would pardon Oliver North and John Poindexter, who were involved in the arms deal.
"If they'd given me a different answer on Charlie and his future," Reagan joked about the bird that was about to be pardoned, "I would have pardoned him."
President George H.W. Bush formalized the modern-day event in 1989
Finally, the tradition became formalized with these words from the nation's 41st president:
"[L]et me assure you and this fine tom turkey, that he will not end up on anyone's dinner table," George H. W. Bush said, "not this guy — he's presented a presidential pardon as of right now—and allow him to live out his days on a children's farm not far from here."
For one more day, at least, the turkeys can feel like they are the champions.
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