DENVER (KDVR) — A cooked turkey is a centerpiece on the table at Thanksgiving, however, some turkeys have been saved from that fate by a somewhat unusual tradition that started with U.S. presidents.
On Monday, Gov. Jared Polis continues the tradition of “pardoning,” or saving, two Colorado turkeys from becoming Thanksgiving meals. Although this practice seems unconventional, it is not new at all.
This idea began when the son of former President Abraham Lincoln asked that a turkey, named Jack, be excluded from the table, according to what was reported by the British newspaper “Daily Mail”. White House Records. Many former presidents, such as Presidents John F. Kennedy and Ronald Reagan, banned the bird from the meal, however Modern Türkiye Annual “Amnesty” It started with the George H.W. Bush administration.
In 1989, Bush officially pardoned an unnamed turkey, and since then, several presidents, such as Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama, Joe Biden, and current President Donald Trump, have pardoned turkeys during Thanksgiving.
The tradition of pardoning turkeys did not stop there. Governors across the country, including Colorado, have also begun pardoning turkeys.
Monday marks the third annual Colorado turkey pardon, where Polis will pardon two turkeys “to celebrate Thanksgiving and highlight the important role Colorado agricultural producers and farmers play in feeding Colorado families this holiday season, and throughout the year.”