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The Annual Pardoning of the Thanksgiving Turkey Click to return to The Annual Pardoning of the Thanksgiving Turkey Click to return to The Annual Pardoning of the Thanksgiving Turkey
The Annual Pardoning of the Thanksgiving Turkey
After pardoning a turkey from the Thanksgiving dinner table, President George W. Bush invites children to pet Liberty, the freed bird. "Through the generations, our country has known its share of hardships. And we've been through some tough times, some testing moments during the last months," said President Bush. "Yet, we've never lost sight of the blessings around us: the freedoms we enjoy, the people we love, and the many gifts of our prosperous land."
After pardoning a turkey from the Thanksgiving dinner table, President George W. Bush invites children to pet Liberty, the freed bird. "Through the generations, our country has known its share of hardships. And we've been through some tough times, some testing moments during the last months," said President Bush. "Yet, we've never lost sight of the blessings around us: the freedoms we enjoy, the people we love, and the many gifts of our prosperous land."
 
Photograph of President Truman receiving a Thanksgiving turkey from members of the Poultry and Egg National Board and other representatives of the turkey industry,outside the White House. President Kennedy, 1963. Courtesy John F. Kennedy Presidential Library.
Photograph of President Nixon receiving a Thanksgiving turkey from members during the annual pardoning ceremony. President Ford, 1975. Courtesy Gerald R. Ford Library.
President Ford, 1975. Courtesy Gerald R. Ford Library. President Reagan, 1983. Courtesy Ronald Reagan Presidential Library.
President Reagan, 1983. Courtesy Ronald Reagan Presidential Library President Reagan, 1988. Courtesy Ronald Reagan Presidential Library
President George H.W. Bush, 1989. Courtesy George H.W. Bush Presidential Library. President George H.W. Bush, 1991. Courtesy George H.W. Bush Presidential Library.
President George H.W. Bush, 1991. Courtesy George H.W. Bush Presidential Library. President Clinton, 1999. Courtesy Clinton Presidential Materials Project.
President Clinton, 1999. Courtesy Clinton Presidential Materials Project. President Clinton, 2000. Courtesy Clinton Presidential Materials Project.
President George W. Bush participates in the annual ceremonial pardoning in the Rose Garden, on November 26, 2002. After pardoning a turkey from the Thanksgiving dinner table, President George W. Bush invites children to pet Liberty, the freed bird. "Through the generations, our country has known its share of hardships. And we've been through some tough times, some testing moments during the last months," said President Bush. "Yet, we've never lost sight of the blessings around us: the freedoms we enjoy, the people we love, and the many gifts of our prosperous land."
President George W. Bush pardons the Thanksgiving turkey during a Rose Garden ceremony Monday, Nov. 24, 2003. "I appreciate you joining me to give this turkey a presidential pardon," said the President in his remarks. "Stars is a very special bird with a very special name. This year, for the first time, thousands of people voted on the White House website to name the national turkey, and the alternate turkey. Stars and Stripes beat out Pumpkin and Cranberry. And it was a neck-to-neck race." President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney participate in the annual pardoning of the National Turkey in the Rose Garden Nov. 17, 2004.
President George W. Bush invites children on stage, Tuesday, November 22, 2005, to pet "Marshmallow", the National Thanksgiving Turkey, at the official pardoning of the turkey at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building in Washington. President George W. Bush is joined by Lynn Nutt of Springfield, Mo., as he poses with “Flyer” the turkey during a ceremony Wednesday, Nov. 22, 2006 in the White House Rose Garden, following the President’s pardoning of the turkey before the Thanksgiving holiday.

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