NPR: The Strange Truth about Presidential Turkey Pardons

[LiberalElite]

http://www.npr.org/2015/11/25/457253194/the-strange-truth-behind-presidential-turkey-pardons

-snip-
The annual presidential turkey pardoning event at the White House, which took place again today, is a peculiar one. Presiding over his sixth one last year, even President Obama seemed confused by it all.

"It is a little puzzling that I do this every year," Obama said, "but I will say that I enjoy it, because with all the tough stuff that swirls around in this office, it's nice once in a while to just say, 'Happy Thanksgiving.' "

He says a lot more than that. He makes embarrassing dad jokes, while his daughters stand next to him, about turkeys with punny names — and how they will live out their golden years in splendor. (Though "years" is a stretch. More on that below.)
-snip-

xposting in GD and Vegetarian, Vegan and Animal Rights

[MinM]

1. (AKA: how Oliver North avoided prison)

@SanhoTree: Just a reminder that this turkey pardon BS was started by Reagan because he wanted to dodge questions about pardoning Iran-Contra criminals.

@SanhoTree: More on the turkey pardon chronicles: http://www.npr.org/2015/11/25/457253194/the-strange-truth-behind-presidential-turkey-pardons … (AKA: how Oliver North avoided prison)

@SanhoTree: Ritual farce of how Oliver North escaped justice:
Presidential candidates practice pardoning a Thanksgiving turkey http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/261266-presidential-candidates-practice-pardoning-a-thanksgiving-turkey …

If I recall correctly The West Wing helped perpetuate this pardoning of the turkey into the cute story it has been portrayed as.