# Why do presidents pardon turkies? They're just going to eat a different one instead. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 26, 2009, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-presidents-pardon-turkies-theyre-just-going-to-eat-a-different-one-instead/519029 "2009-11-26T14:01:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![waterj2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/858c86/32.png) [@waterj2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/waterj2)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2009, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-presidents-pardon-turkies-theyre-just-going-to-eat-a-different-one-instead/519029/21 "2009-11-27T05:21:40Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Because it does no harm and is not controversial. It may be lame, but nobody is going to start a war over it. Actually, I can totally picture some completely insane Freeper “controversy” over Turkey pardons. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2009, 7:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-presidents-pardon-turkies-theyre-just-going-to-eat-a-different-one-instead/519029/22 "2009-11-27T07:07:54Z")
> [@gaffa](#): > > Barvo just aired the _Shibboleth_ episode of _The West Wing_ that features President Bartlett pardoning a turkey. My TV doesn’t get Barvo. :mad: ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2009, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-presidents-pardon-turkies-theyre-just-going-to-eat-a-different-one-instead/519029/23 "2009-11-27T18:15:43Z")
It’s intended as a feel good publicity gesture. > [@Markxxx](#): > > Publicity, why does Mr Obama go to Egypt or China to make a bunch of speeches, he could’ve given via TV and saved the taxpayers all that money. (And yes I know Republican Presidents made trips too). The point is it’s all about publicity. That’s a little different. Yes, if the speech is on TV it could be given from anywhere, but there’s also the good will of a presidential visit and the possibility for behind-the-scenes talks during the official visit. I wouldn’t call that publicity. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2009, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-presidents-pardon-turkies-theyre-just-going-to-eat-a-different-one-instead/519029/24 "2009-11-27T18:54:25Z")
First thing I do after becoming Emperor Of The Universe (and hence defacto president of the USA) is cease turkey pardons, and in fact show the turkey getting capped on live TV. The people who complain about seeing reality will then be sent my gulag on Teegeeack II. ---
**Author:** ![Manduck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manduck/32/256_2.png) [@Manduck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manduck)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2009, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-presidents-pardon-turkies-theyre-just-going-to-eat-a-different-one-instead/519029/25 "2009-11-27T20:14:07Z")
… where the only channel they get is Barvo. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2009, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-presidents-pardon-turkies-theyre-just-going-to-eat-a-different-one-instead/519029/26 "2009-11-27T20:19:34Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > Did they waterboard the turkey to get a confession? How do we know that it’s not just some random innocent turkey they’re railroading? I dunno about that, but I did hear that the first turkey Dubya pardoned was frozen. Okay, I heard it because I said it out loud when I made that joke up. Lemme alone. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2009, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-presidents-pardon-turkies-theyre-just-going-to-eat-a-different-one-instead/519029/27 "2009-11-27T21:13:50Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > Well, wouldn’t you rather go to Disneyland that be eaten?.. That’s not as easy a question as you might think. > [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > To get a pardon, don’t you have to be convicted of a crime? > > ‘You are convicted of being a turkey!’ > > ‘I expected that from this kangaroo court, pig!’ You would think that a conviction would be needed before a death sentence, but with the Patriot Act, I’m not sure anymore. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-presidents-pardon-turkies-theyre-just-going-to-eat-a-different-one-instead/519029.md?page=1)