[N8 v2.0]

Wednesday November 17, 06:09 PM
U.S. President George W. Bush takes no chances for a mishap as he grabs a turkey named "Biscuit" by the neck during a photo opportunity at the turkey pardoning ceremony in the Rose Garden of the White House November 17, 2004. The annual turkey pardoning event is held before the Thanksgiving holiday. Biscuit will be allowed to live out it's days on a Virginia farm. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque​

Bush pardons Thanksgiving turkey

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President George W. Bush has expressed a common bond with a broad-breasted turkey named "Biscuits," which won a White House election to become national turkey for this year's Thanksgiving holiday.

"This is an election year and Biscuits had to earn his spot at the White House," Bush said on Wednesday at an annual Rose Garden ceremony at which he pardoned the 44-pound (20 kg) white tom turkey from a centre-stage appearance on the Thanksgiving dinner table.

The president, who won re-election on November 2 after a tight race against Democrat John Kerry, joked that Biscuits and his running-mate, "Gravy," had run "neck-and-neck" against a rival ticket of "Patience" and "Fortitude."

The vote for the national turkey was conducted on the White House Web site at www.whitehouse.gov. Thanksgiving Day is November 25.

Bush, with Vice President Dick Cheney looking on, said the national turkey election had several parallels with the 2004 presidential race, which featured attacks on Kerry by the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth and the anti-Bush movie "Fahrenheit 9/11" by filmmaker Michael Moore.

"It came down to a few battleground states," the Republican president said.

"It was a tough contest and it turned out some 527 organizations got involved, including Barnyard Animals for Truth. There was a scurrilous film that came out, "Fahrenheit 375 Degrees At 10 Minutes Per Pound," he said.

The 22-week-old Biscuit, who was more interested in the Rose Garden shrubbery than the ceremony, will spend the rest of his days at a Virginia petting farm called "Frying Pan Park."

 

[Lex]

I can see the headlines now: "Bush to cancel important congressional meeting to pardon turkey."

I know it's a "tradition" but what a waste. Good to see our tax dollars being spent on important stuff. I wonder how much a Rose Garden ceremony costs for a visiting dignitary compared to the turkey?

 

[Echo]

What gave you the impression that your tax dollars had anything to do with that?

 

[Slugman]

I can see the headlines now: "Bush to cancel important congressional meeting to pardon turkey."

I know it's a "tradition" but what a waste. Good to see our tax dollars being spent on important stuff. I wonder how much a Rose Garden ceremony costs for a visiting dignitary compared to the turkey?

Didn't know the white house paid Reuters photographers...

 

[BuddhaRoadkill]

Mentally Handicapped .... Death.
Mentally Handicapped .... Death.
Mentally Handicapped .... Death.
Mentally Handicapped .... Death.
Turkey ........................ Pardon.
Mentally Handicapped .... Death.
Mentally Handicapped .... Death.

... another day at the office.

 

[Echo]

The fact that there are actually people who are, first of all, taking this as an acutal presidential pardon, and second of all, getting upset about it, just proves how completely out of whack some liberals priorities are, not to mention their questionable grasp of reality.

 

[BurlyShirley]

Echo,

no matter what happens, Bush is evil, ok? There's no way he could just be having a good time without at least wasting some tax dollars or pardoning the wrong people.

Jesus Christ.

 

[Echo]

My bad.

 

[Slugman]

The fact that there are actually people who are, first of all, taking this as an acutal presidential pardon, and second of all, getting upset about it, just proves how completely out of whack some liberals priorities are, not to mention their questionable grasp of reality.

It's a white house TRADITION folks - Both sides do it.

Maybe N8 can find some articles Anti-Clinton articles from when he pardoned turkeys...

 

[zod]

he should have chopped it's head off and sent a tape of it to al jazeera..................

 

[Echo]

he should have chopped it's head off and sent a tape of it to al jazeera..................

 

[I Are Baboon]

I betcha Laura Bush makes a mean Thanksgiving turkey. I don't know, she just strikes me as the type. I need to get myself invited to the White House for turkey dinner.

Mmmm....turkey.

 

[narlus]

i guess things are bigger in texas...bush chokes the turkey.

 

[Ciaran]

The fact that there are actually people who are, first of all, taking this as an acutal presidential pardon, and second of all, getting upset about it, just proves how completely out of whack some liberals priorities are, not to mention their questionable grasp of reality.

No, it shows just how out of whack PEOPLE are. It ain't just "liberals". There are plenty of republicans who are morons... and dems, and indies, and greens, etc., etc.

And, it's a freaking tradition and just some silly little fun thing to do. Geez. Some people get all worked up about the dumbest things. Sure Bush is a moron, but let the guy have a little fun pardoning the turkey.

 

[Lex]

Didn't know the white house paid Reuters photographers...

I wasn't talking about the photographer's time as being a taxpayer cost, just the time of the most powerful man in the world and his staff.

To all of those who think I'm bashing Bush: I'm not. I think this kind of thing is stupid regardless of what party the president belongs to.

 

[BurlyShirley]

I wasn't talking about the photographer's time as being a taxpayer cost, just the time of the most powerful man in the world and his staff.

To all of those who think I'm bashing Bush: I'm not. I think this kind of thing is stupid regardless of what party the president belongs to.

Does your family have traditions? Are they stupid? Is the tradition of an innauguration speech stupid? How about campaign time, since the president isnt techically "working" is that stupid too? How about the tradtion of saluting the Marine before he gets on the helicopter, is that stupid because he's wasting time instead of running to the chopper as fast as possible to save tax dollars on helicopter gas?

You're being retarded.

 

[Lex]

Does your family have traditions? Are they stupid? Is the tradition of an innauguration speech stupid? How about campaign time, since the president isnt techically "working" is that stupid too? How about the tradtion of saluting the Marine before he gets on the helicopter, is that stupid because he's wasting time instead of running to the chopper as fast as possible to save tax dollars on helicopter gas?

You're being retarded.

Do I think all traditions are stupid? Of course not but there is a limit to what I think is necessary when the taxpayers are footing the bill. Ok, maybe I blew the whole turkey think out of proportion, so for that you have my apology.

Funny that you should bring up the innauguration though because that's one thing that I don't think is necessary. Bush is the president and has already taken the oath of office. Why do we need a second innauguration? I thought Clinton's was a waste as well. I would guess that the president is working while he's on the campaign, so as long as his campaign is paying the bills I could care less.

 

[BurlyShirley]

Do I think all traditions are stupid? Of course not but there is a limit to what I think is necessary when the taxpayers are footing the bill. Ok, maybe I blew the whole turkey think out of proportion, so for that you have my apology.

Funny that you should bring up the innauguration though because that's one thing that I don't think is necessary. Bush is the president and has already taken the oath of office. Why do we need a second innauguration? I thought Clinton's was a waste as well. I would guess that the president is working while he's on the campaign, so as long as his campaign is paying the bills I could care less.

I cant imagine it cost alot to get the president to walk outside and pardon a turkey.

Just deal with the fact that the US is full of tradtions. Everywhere you look. Wearing pants is a tradtion.

 

[Ciaran]

Just deal with the fact that the US is full of tradtions. Everywhere you look. Wearing pants is a tradtion.

That's it! My pants are comming off! Dang conservatives and there pant wearing ideologies.

 

[BuddhaRoadkill]

The fact that there are actually people who are, first of all, taking this as an acutal presidential pardon, and second of all, getting upset about it, just proves how completely out of whack some liberals priorities are, not to mention their questionable grasp of reality.

I don't think either of those are facts. Demented politcal humor, perhaps, but nothing "acutely" serious.

 

[Lefty]

I know where the turkey is gonna end. In the Frying pan. How in the hell could you take such a name seriously..

"Frying Pan Park."

Bush says this about it Bush flipping the bird, as they say in America.

 

[Silver]

Must not have been a black turkey...