Bush Pardons Thanksgiving Turkey

Nov. 20, 2007 — -- Thanksgiving -- it's a bad week for turkeys. But two lucky birds received full and unconditional pardons Tuesday from President Bush just outside the country's most powerful kitchen.

"You cannot take the heat, and you're definitely going to stay out of the kitchen," Bush said to the birds at the 60th annual turkey pardoning at the White House.

The national bird and its backup, each weighing around 45 pounds, are from Dubois, Ind.

Presidents since Harry Truman have pardoned turkeys, but the event has been updated in recent years to include a bird-naming contest, with votes cast on the White House Web site.

Nominees this year included Wing and Prayer, Wish and Bone, and Tom and Jake.

White House spokesman Tony Fratto said not even speech writers at the White House would know the names of the two birds until the president announced them in the Rose Garden.

"I'm on pins and needles! I honestly don't know -- the draft remarks I saw have blank spaces!" Fratto said by e-mail before the official ceremony.

The president announced the winners in front of his fluffed and feathered friends.

"I'm pleased to announce the winning names. They are May and Flower," Bush said with a smile.

Fortunately for the birds, Vice President Cheney's nominees didn't make the list.

"They're certainly better than the names the vice president suggested, which was Lunch and Dinner," Bush said as the crowd chuckled and the turkeys gobbled.