One turkey pardons another. This is one of the Thanksgiving "traditions" that rather irks me. Are we supposed to think that Mr. Bush is as beneficent as Oz because he ostensibly pardons a single turkey on Thanksgiving? The origin of the turkey pardon is unclear. Some suggest that Truman inaugurated the practice, but solid evidence of this is lacking. I wonder what Iraqis would make of this bizarre stunt? The man with a heart big enough to spare a pair of turkeys seems to not have the same concern for them, or kids with no healh insurance, for that matter.
Have you ever wondered what fate befalls these lucky birds after their photo-ops? Actually, the birds are provided by the National Turkey Federation (NTF), and they are raised and groomed solely for their presidential appearance. Afterwards, they are given plum posts at petting zoos or farms, but the birds are often so large that they don't live to turkey old-age.
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