Gerald Ford

Presidents and Turkeys

President Gerald Ford pardons a turkey donated by representatives of the National Turkey Federation during a ceremony in the Rose Garden in 1975. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)

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The Presidential... Every year come Thanksgiving, Americans are used to a familiar scene: the president meets for a quick photo op pardoning a bewildered bird.

The history seems a bit murky: Harry S. Truman had photos snapped of him with a turkey in 1949, but there's scant evidence the bird was pardoned. Dwight Eisenhower is reported to have eaten the birds presented to him.

John F. Kennedy - pictured above at the White House - is said to have started the pardoning tradition in 1963 when he decided to keep his bird.

Here's a look at presidents and their turkeys through the years.

(Photo: Wikimedia Commons)
Decision 2012: C... For the first time, Americans in 2012 had a say in the Presidential turkey. Voting on Facebook with "likes," the public choose between the two Virginia-raised birds, Cobbler and Gobbler. In the end, it appeared that Cobbler won the honors with 2,595 votes by the time polls closed on Tuesday. (Photo: White House/ Facebook)
The Obamas and '... President Barack Obama, with daughters Sasha and Malia, pardons Liberty, a 19-week old, 45-pound turkey, on the occasion of Thanksgiving, Wednesday, Nov. 23, 2011, on the North Portico of the White House in Washington. At left is National Turkey Federation Chairman Richard Huisinga. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
Obamas' First Wh... President Barack Obama, right, with daughters, Sasha Obama, 8, Malia Obama, 11, reacts with Walter Pelletier, chairman of the National Turkey Federation, as Malia reaches to pet a turkey, Courage, the day before Thanksgiving, during a ceremony in the North Portico of the White House in Washington Wednesday, Nov. 25, 2009.(AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
George W. and 'F... President Bush, right, pets 'Flyer' after pardoning the National Thanksgiving turkey during a ceremony in the Rose Garden of the White House, Wednesday, Nov. 22, 2006, in Washington. Holding the turkey is Lynn Nutt, left, from Springfield, Mo. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
George W. and 'B... President Bush and handlers keep a tight hold on Biscuits the turkey during the Pardoning of the National Thanksgiving Turkey ceremony in the Rose Garden of the White House, Wednesday, Nov. 17, 2004, in Washington. After the ceremony, the turkey was retired to the Kidwell Farm petting zoo at Frying Pan Park in Herndon, Va. (AP Photo/Ron Edmonds)
Clinton and 'Jer... President Clinton, holding his nephew Tyler, 6, grants a "pardon" to a turkey named Jerry, from Barron Wis., during the annual Thanksgiving Turkey Presentation at White House, in Washington Wednesday, Nov. 22, 2000.(AP Photo/Kenneth Lambert)
No Pardon? President Bill Clinton looks over a half-cooked Thanksgiving Day turkey, Thursday morning, Nov. 23, 2000, during his holiday stay at Camp David, Md. (AP Poto/The White House)
Clinton, Thanksg... President Clinton accepts a 60-pound, white-feathered turkey from Raeford, N.C., during a ceremony in the Rose Garden of the White House, Wednesday, Nov. 26, 1997. (AP Photo/Joe Marquette)
A Feisty Bird President Clinton reacts as Andy Rutledge presents him with a 75-pound turkey, compliments of the National Turkey Federation, Wednesday Nov. 22, 1995 in the Rose Garden of the White House. As in past years, the turkey was granted amnesty and donated to the Kidwell Farms petting zoo in Fairfax, Va. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
George H.W. Bush President George H.W. Bush at the annual Pardoning of the Thanksgiving Turkey in 1991. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)
Ronald Reagan President Ronald Reagan pardons a turkey in the annual White House ceremony in 1983. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)
Gerald Ford President Gerald Ford pardons a turkey donated by representatives of the National Turkey Federation during a ceremony in the Rose Garden in 1975. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)
Richard Nixon President Richard Nixon receiving a Thanksgiving turkey from members during the annual pardoning ceremony. Date unknown. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)
Harry Truman, 19... President Harry Truman receives a Thanksgiving turkey from members of the Poultry and Egg National Board and other representatives of the turkey industry, outside the White House in 1949. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)