A Children's Treasury of Presidents & Turkeys

On this Thanksgiving Eve, we want to remind Americans that all presidents have always looked like twits during the annual Turkey Pardon Photo Op -- so Barack Obama will make history again as the first president to ever look cool next to these fucking turkeys. Here's Harry Truman, reportedly forced by the National Turkey Federation to start the dumb tradition, thus ensuring that other popular Thanksgiving main courses of the time -- ham, roast beast, parsnips, etc. -- would fall by the wayside. The Turkey Industry was the Jack Abramoff of 1947.

Obviously faked, this photo of JFK's 1963 pardoning of the bird allegedly took place just four days before he was assassinated by the CIA. Note that only a lone turkey is shown; presidents are always presented withtwolive turkeys, "just in case something goes wrong." 

Nixon's own pardon would come soon enough.

America was outraged by yet another shocking pardon by Gerald Ford, who is pictured here being only vaguely aware he's president, like always.

Say what you will about Reagan, but this was obviously the high point of his year.

But once the Bush Dynasty had formally taken power, the childlike glee was forever gone. Now the weeping turkey cowered and bowed before GHWB, pledging all the Saudi and Kuwaiti oil fields in exchange for clemency.

"You know, Jesse Jackson won South Carolina, too. What? Oh I hereby pardon this turkey and Marc Rich."

It's George Bush Junior's last Thanksgiving in the White House! Good-bye, George! Thanks for, uhh, fucking up the whole world forever, you turkey.

 The Annual Pardoning of the Thanksgiving Turkey [White House]

EARLIER: Bush Gets Some Turkeyneck Action