President ‘Pardons’ Thanksgiving Turkey

President Bush bestowed a “presidential pardon” Friday on a noisy gift turkey whose gobbles punctuated a Rose Garden speech declaring Thursday to be Thanksgiving. It was the 200th anniversary of the first Thanksgiving proclamation, signed by George Washington.

Bush said the turkey would be sent to a children’s petting zoo in the area.

The President said that the family dog, Millie, who loves to chase squirrels and pigeons on the White House grounds, had been dispatched “upstairs, looking wistfully out of the window, I’m sure.”