Photos: Presidents and pardoned turkeys

President Obama, flanked by daughters Sasha, left, and Malia, pardons Popcorn on the North Portico of the White House. (Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images)

Nov. 27, 2013 12:34 PM PT

Stretching back to 1989, U.S. presidents have pardoned one or two turkeys, freeing them from one of the nation’s dinner tables for the Thanksgiving holiday. Before that, presidents merely received turkeys from the National Turkey Federation.

President Obama and daughters Sasha and Malia, right, share a moment as he pardons Cobbler, the 2012 National Thanksgiving Turkey, at the White House. (Alex Wong / Getty Images)

Two full-grown Broad-breasted White domesticated turkeys, 2 feet tall and about 38 pounds, are paraded before the news media at a hotel in Washington. (Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images)

Two full-grown Broad-breasted White domesticated turkeys get their close-ups at a hotel in Washington. (Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images)

President George W. Bush pets Flyer after pardoning the National Thanksgiving Turkey during a ceremony in the Rose Garden. (Pablo Martinez Monsivais / Associated Press)

President Clinton is joined by Washington-area schoolchildren in the Rose Garden before the turkey pardoning ceremony. (Joe Marquette / Associated Press)

President George W. Bush grabs the hand of Ron Prestige, chairman of the National Turkey Federation, to get him to pet Katie, who received a pardon. (Shawn Thew / AFP/Getty Images)