A recent TV interview of Sarah Palin got me to thinking about turkeys.
You probably saw the spot. She pardoned a Thanksgiving turkey at a slaughterhouse, and continued giving an interview while other "unpardoned" turkeys in full view behind her were losing their heads.
Surreal.
What is this pardoning of the Thanksgiving turkey all about anyway?
Isn’t it just more evidence of the duplicity of our elected officials? They pardon a turkey for show but still eat turkey on Thanksgiving.
Just once I’d like to see a President or Governor pardon the turkey and then go home and eat veggie burgers.
How did this turkey pardoning tradition start?
Apparently, the National Turkey Federation first presented a Christmas turkey to Harry Truman in 1947. He didn’t pardon the bird, however. He talked about how good it would look on the dinner table.
Eisenhower, too, ate the birds that he was presented in his two terms.
When Kennedy received a Thanksgiving turkey in 1963, he didn’t mention pardoning it, he simply said "Let’s just keep him." Seems it was the press that claimed the bird had been "pardoned."
Ronald Reagan mentioned the word "pardon," but it was to deflect the press’s questions about pardoning Oliver North--saying that if the turkey wasn’t already headed to the petting farm, he would pardon it.
It seems the first president to actually pardon the gift turkey was George Bush in 1989. He proclaimed that he was officially giving the bird a "presidential pardon."
Unfortunately, the issuing of executive pardons for turkeys has been a grand presidential tradition ever since.
The pardon doesn’t mean much. Yes, the turkey gets the honor of riding in a Disney Thanksgiving Day parade, but because commercially raised turkeys get too big for their frames and have weakened immune systems, they seldom live more than a year after their reprieve.
So if you’re reading this, President-elect Obama, as one of your three hundred million
presidential advisors, I would urge you to please accept the gift turkey gracefully. Then send it off to the Disney parade, the petting zoo, or even the White House kitchen, but please dispense with the phony "pardon."
Enough already.
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
OBAMA’S CAMPAIGN PROMISEOBAMA’S CAMPAIGN PROMISE
Now that Barack Obama has won the Presidential election, it is important that we keep his feet to the fire and insist that he honor his campaign promises.
Of critical importance is the breed of puppy he will bring into the White House. It is right and proper that the press keep vigilant on that important issue.
Analysts agree that it is highly unlikely that a Pit Bull will be welcomed in the White House anytime soon, with or without lipstick. Any Alaskan puppy would probably create a negative reaction, even though it may be popular in its own state--in spite of its history of wrong-doing.
What about other breeds? Let’s consider some.
Since people are clamoring for change, a Scottish Terrier would seem to be out, since the Bush’s Miss Beazley and Barney are of that breed. Whatever breed he selects, it must reflect a change in direction.
In considering other breeds, then, would we want an Afghan Hound sleeping the in Lincoln Bedroom? I think not! The President-elect also needs to steer clear of breeds such as the Saluki, Azawakh or Sloughi with their odd names, and their Mid-Eastern, exotic, and possibly anti-American backgrounds.
Lyndon Johnson was too much a tax and spend liberal to make Beagles acceptable to a President with a moderate agenda, particularly since their dominant feature is their ears, which Johnson was wont to take a tug at.
A Mexican Xoloitzcuintli would give the wrong signal as well, though it would be fun to hear the pundits pronounce the name. To be acceptable, it would have to take on an English language name.
Obama could reach across the isle and adopt a Golden Retriever, like Gerald Ford’s dog, Liberty. He was a moderate Republican and maybe that would be taken as a positive gesture by other moderate Republicans.
Obama would certainly want to steer clear of a Checkers episode, with its reminders of Richard Nixon. Also, a black and white dog could spur a debate of whether it’s a black dog with white markings or a white dog with black markings, another unnecessary distraction.
With the tumbling economy, there are sure to be many homeless dogs all across this nation.
Maybe we should send them ALL to Washington.
Of critical importance is the breed of puppy he will bring into the White House. It is right and proper that the press keep vigilant on that important issue.
Analysts agree that it is highly unlikely that a Pit Bull will be welcomed in the White House anytime soon, with or without lipstick. Any Alaskan puppy would probably create a negative reaction, even though it may be popular in its own state--in spite of its history of wrong-doing.
What about other breeds? Let’s consider some.
Since people are clamoring for change, a Scottish Terrier would seem to be out, since the Bush’s Miss Beazley and Barney are of that breed. Whatever breed he selects, it must reflect a change in direction.
In considering other breeds, then, would we want an Afghan Hound sleeping the in Lincoln Bedroom? I think not! The President-elect also needs to steer clear of breeds such as the Saluki, Azawakh or Sloughi with their odd names, and their Mid-Eastern, exotic, and possibly anti-American backgrounds.
Lyndon Johnson was too much a tax and spend liberal to make Beagles acceptable to a President with a moderate agenda, particularly since their dominant feature is their ears, which Johnson was wont to take a tug at.
A Mexican Xoloitzcuintli would give the wrong signal as well, though it would be fun to hear the pundits pronounce the name. To be acceptable, it would have to take on an English language name.
Obama could reach across the isle and adopt a Golden Retriever, like Gerald Ford’s dog, Liberty. He was a moderate Republican and maybe that would be taken as a positive gesture by other moderate Republicans.
Obama would certainly want to steer clear of a Checkers episode, with its reminders of Richard Nixon. Also, a black and white dog could spur a debate of whether it’s a black dog with white markings or a white dog with black markings, another unnecessary distraction.
With the tumbling economy, there are sure to be many homeless dogs all across this nation.
Maybe we should send them ALL to Washington.
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