When did the White House tradition of pardoning the turkey(s) begin? Surprisingly it is more recent than one would think. Abe Lincoln was unofficially the first to spare a turkey as his son,Tad wanted it as a pet so instead of becoming dinner the bird became Jack. Somehow Truman is often credited with the pardon tradition,but that is what we would call "fake news" today,as he had his gifted bird for dinner. Both Kennedy and Reagan spared their birds but again,didn't pardon them The first Presidential pardon came in 1989 when George H.W.Bush put the pardon to paper and the birds named May and Flower were flown to Disney World where they were honorary grand marshals for the Thanksgiving Day Parade. It's anyone's guess what will happen this year.
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