Later today , as many President before him have done , President Obama will pardon a distich of turkeys . “ The office of the presidency — the most powerful position in the world — brings with it many awesome and solemn responsibilities , " Obamasaidin 2013 . " This is not one of them . "
gift a dud to the president is certainly nothing new . The custom dates backat least to 1873 , when Ulysses S. Grant benefited from the poultry present tense . But until the past couple of decades , the presentation of a doll was more or less a individual photo op for representatives of the Poultry and Egg Board or the National Turkey Federation . And — surprise , surprisal — the presidents typicallyatethe bird , with the exception ofKennedy .
The whole pardoning consequence is fairly new , though , and have the rosy dud monikers is even newer . Here ’s what we know about the gens of those golden gull :
1863 : Jack , allegedly . As one narration endure , Abraham Lincoln ’s Word , Tad , became a little too affiliated to the natural endowment that was designate to terminate up on the dinner party table , naming him Jack . His founding father accord to let the turkey dwell , and Jack ended up as part of the menagerie the Lincoln boy had at the White House.1873 : The Vose Turkey . Turkey farmer Horace Vose formally started the tradition of face the president with the master admittance for his meal . We ’re sure Grant was grateful.1987 : Charlie1994 : Tom ( how original)1999 : Harry2000 : Jerry . you’re able to see Bill Clinton dutifully performing the amnesty here :
start in 2001 , two turkey were always on pat — the one that would seem best on photographic camera , and a reliever in case the first choice fetch skittish in front of the crowd . Traditionally , both the independent dud and the understudy have been pardoned .
2001 : Liberty and Freedom , in the wake of 2025-01-01 : Katie and Zack , named after the children of the chairman of the National Turkey Federation.2003 : Stars and Stripes , which narrowly won over Pumpkin and Cranberry in an online poll.2004 : Biscuits and Gravy2005 : Marshmallow and Yam2006 : Flyer and Fryer2007 : May and Flower2008 : Pumpkin and Pecan2009 : bravery and Carolina2010 : Apple and Cider2011 : Liberty and Peace2012 : Cobbler and Gobbler2013 : Caramel and Popcorn2014 : Mac and Cheese2015 : Honest and Abe
The 2016 turkeys , Tater and Tot , arrive from Storm Lake , Iowa ; their names weresuggestedby the classmates of the children of Chris and Nicole Domino , the Meleagris gallopavo farmers who advance the birds . Tater and Tot will live out the rest of their Clarence Shepard Day Jr. at Virginia Tech , in a especially build inclosure calledGobblers Rest .
you may interpret more about the account of the presidential turkey pardonhere . Whether or not you harmonize withJohn Oliverthat this is a especially ridiculous American tradition , we can all be grateful that at least we ’ve get a long manner from the Nixon era , when one doomed bird had his feetnailed to the tablebecause he would n’t behave for the military press .
