The President spares Courage the Turkey from "a terrible and delicious fate"Update: A post about all First Family Thanksgiving activities is here; the menu for their Thanksgiving feast is here
It's been a week of historic food initiatives for President Obama. Yesterday, he and First Lady Michelle Obama hosted the first State Dinner of his presidency, and today he tackled food issues of another kind.
This morning it was time for the National Turkey Pardon, a White House event that's gone on every Wednesday before Thanksgiving for the last twenty years, thanks to former President George H. W. Bush--though the tradition has been conducted sporadically by various presidential administrations (Snopes does a good wrap up on the misinfo surrounding presidential turkey pardons here). "Courage," a forty pound Tom turkey from North Carolina, is this year's lucky recipient of the presidential pardon. (Above: The President waves his hand over Courage as he gives the "official pardon;" daughters Malia and Sasha look on)
The turkey pardoning is usually held in the Rose Garden, site of important policy announcements, but today it was moved to the North Portico--the front porch of the White House--due to rainy weather. Conveniently, there was still a huge platform for media set up in the driveway, which was for yesterday's formal State Dinner arrival with India's Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. The President, accompanied by daughters Malia and Sasha, addressed the media and a small crowd of invited guests, including the farming family that raised Courage, and officials from the National Turkey Federation. (Courage, above)Courage had been hanging out on the front porch of the White House--cage free--for almost half an hour by the time the President and the girls emerged onto the North Portico. Aside from relieving himself liberally a few times, Courage was extraordinarily well behaved. It might bear mentioning, however, that turkeys routinely carry antibiotic resistant campylobacter, a pathogen that can cause severe foodborne illness in humans--and it's in anything they're depositing. The prevalence of turkey flocks becoming colonized by campylobacter is so high that the USDA has been studying it; it's an issue. In fact, University of North Carolina--Courage's home state--has a disturbing study of the high rate of campy in turkeys posted on USDA's website.
"That's a good looking bird," President Obama commented a number of times. And Courage was: A big, snow white beauty.During his formal remarks, President Obama gave a brief history of presidents, turkey pardons, and presidential turkey eating, then got straight to the point.
"Today, I am pleased to announce that thanks to the interventions of Malia and Sasha -- because I was planning to eat this sucker -- "Courage" will also be spared this terrible and delicious fate," President Obama said, to much laughter.The turkey gobbled as if on cue.
"There you go," President Obama said, to more laughter.
"You know, there are certain days that remind me of why I ran for this office," President Obama said. "And then there are moments like this--where I pardon a turkey and send it to Disneyland."
Even more laughter from the crowd, including the media, who were not prone to laughter, since we were standing on a platform in the rain that had no roof.
Courage will be the Grand Marshall in Disneyland's Thanksgiving Day Parade tomorrow, and was scheduled to fly--in a plane--to California right after the ceremony. That's a tradition that's been going on since 2005, started by the second President Bush. Courage will be accompanied by his stunt double, a turkey named Carolina who was also given a presidential pardon; she's around in case Courage can't "fulfill his duties." Carolina was with a handler in the White House parking lot, according to a Disney staffer who declined to be named.
In the afternoon, the Obama family will visit local soup kitchen Martha's Table, and deliver what Mr. Obama referred to as two of Courage's "less fortunate bretheren" for Thanksgiving dinner.
"I think its safe to say that we've saved or created four turkeys today," President Obama said, a jokey reference to the administration's promise that the $787 billion stimulus package would "save or create" millions of jobs. In the rest of his remarks, President Obama became very serious, and described what he's grateful for.
"E
very single day, I am thankful for the extraordinary responsibility that the American people have placed in me," President Obama said.
very single day, I am thankful for the extraordinary responsibility that the American people have placed in me," President Obama said."I am humbled by the privilege that it is to serve them, and the tremendous honor it is to serve as Commander-in-Chief of the finest military in the world -- and I want to wish a Happy Thanksgiving to every service member at home or in harm's way. We're proud of you and we are thinking of you and we're praying for you."
He noted the difficulties America has faced over the last "tough" year, with a bad economy, and war. But of course there was a message of hope, too.
"When President Lincoln set aside the National Day of Thanksgiving for the first time -- it was in the midst of the Civil War, just when the future of our very union was most in doubt," President Obama said. "So think about that. When times were darkest, President Lincoln understood that our American blessings shined brighter than ever...As we give thanks for our loved ones, let us remember those who can't be with us. And as we give thanks for our security, let's in turn thank those who've sacrificed to make it possible, wherever they may be."
Courage gobbled as if on cue again.The actual "ceremony" involved Courage being hoisted onto a table, and President Obama strolling over and stretching out his hand above the bird's head.
"I hereby pardon you," The President said, trying not to laugh.
Courage was unruffled by the gravity of the situation, and seemed about to tuck his beak beneath his wing and go to sleep. The President petted Courage, and the girls did, too, although a little reluctantly. (Above: Malia petting the turkey)
"You're not feeding him steroids, are you?" The President joked, when told the bird's weight. After shaking hands with the turkey farmers, and lots of waves, he and the girls vanished back inside the White House.
Courage and Carolina were donated for the pardoning ceremony by Walter Pelletier, chairman of the National Turkey Federation, and Joel Brandenberger, its president.
*Read the President's full remarks here. Watch this video made by the West Wing Press Office promoting the Turkey Pardoning event...it's likely that Egg Nog arrived at the White House early this year.
*Photos by Obama Foodorama
