Thanksgiving reading from Tove Danovich (from 2018): "...the White House Historical Association notes that 'presentation turkeys' were eventually given a different placement than on the White House’s Thanksgiving dinner table beginning in 1981, under then-President Ronald Reagan. In 1989, when George H.W. Bush was in office, the event was regularly being picketed by animal rights activists, which prompted him to quip that the turkey was 'granted a Presidential pardon as of right now.'"
Secret Service, luxury hotel: The brief, but storied life of a presidential turkey
From the time they were chicks, they had practiced for this stately moment. Now, two birds from South Dakota are on their way to Washington to be pardoned.
thecounter.org