    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1995, Book II)]
    [November 22, 1995]
    [Pages 1779-1780]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks at the Thanksgiving Turkey Presentation Ceremony
    November 22, 1995

        The President. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Rose Garden, and
    Happy Thanksgiving. I want to acknowledge, especially, Kenneth Rutledge,
    the chairman of the National Turkey Federation, his wife, Brenda, his
    son, John; Stuart Proctor--Kenneth is the chairman; Stuart Proctor is
    the president of the Turkey Federation, his wife, Sherry. I also want to
    recognize the presence here of Congressman Cal Dooley. And I want to on
    this cold day warmly welcome the young people and the volunteers who are
    here from the Boys Club, the Girls Club of America, the Big Brothers and
    Big Sisters program, and the members of the AmeriCorps program from
    Baltimore. [Applause] Thank you. I also want to say that's the most
    multicolored, best looking turkey we've had here since I've been
    President.
        You know, we're here today to have a little fun and to begin the
    official Thanksgiving in our country that we give every year at this
    time for the blessings that God has given us, for the personal gifts
    he's given us, the gifts of our families and communities and to our
    great country.
        Thanksgiving is a uniquely American holiday, as all of you know. It
    goes back to our foundings. But I think it's important to note that the
    first official proclamation of Thanksgiving, issued by a United States
    President, was issued by Abraham Lincoln during the Civil War, when our
    people were overwhelmingly preoccupied with their problems and indeed
    with whether our country would even continue to exist. Nevertheless, Mr.
    Lincoln reminded us that we had things to be thankful for.
        On this Thanksgiving here in America, we've got a lot to be thankful
    for. The combined rates of unemployment and inflation in our country are
    at their lowest in 27 years. Home ownership and new business formation
    and the stock market now are at an all-time high, all three of them.
    Maybe even more important, the crime rate, the welfare rates, the
    poverty rates, they're all down this year, and we're grateful for that.
    I'm grateful that the United States has been a force for peace, from the
    Middle East to Northern Ireland and to Haiti and now of course, we hope,
    in Bosnia.
        But we should never forget that there are still people in our
    country that need our concern and our caring. The young people who are
    here today are interested in making the most of their own lives and
    serving those in their community. And that's an important part of
    Thanksgiving as well. We have obligations to our parents and to our
    children, to people who are disabled or otherwise, through no fault of
    their own, need a helping hand.
        And just before I came here, I was with Secretary Cisneros and the
    First Lady at a homeless shelter here in Washington, DC, where we were
    feeding people. And I'm sad to say I saw a fresh and personal example of
    the fact that the fastest growing group of homeless people in our
    country are young women and their young children.

    [[Page 1780]]

        So on this Thanksgiving we should be thankful for our blessings, and
    we should redouble our resolve to do everything we can to make America a
    place of honor and decency and community, where we can all give thanks.
        I'd like to say one other thing, too. I'm very proud of the United
    States negotiators who did so much to help to bring about the peace
    agreement in Bosnia yesterday. There will be many questions in the days
    ahead about all the things that have to be answered before we can go
    forward with this project. And I expect to be addressing the Nation
    about it shortly.
        But let me just remind you of one thing on this Thanksgiving eve.
    Among other things, in that tiny country, so much smaller than the
    United States, there are one million homeless people. So I say, on this
    Thanksgiving, I hope God will bless the peace and bring those folks home
    again as well.
        Let me now turn to the moment at hand, which I look forward to every
    day--every year, I mean. This is a--[laughter]--I wouldn't mind having
    it every day, actually. In 1947, President Truman began this great
    tradition of accepting a Thanksgiving turkey and then granting it a
    Presidential pardon.

    [At this point, the turkey gobbled.]

        The President. You can see one person thoroughly agrees with my
    decision here. [Laughter] This year, I guess we can say, since the
    Government is back to work, I can at least grant to one living thing in
    America, a permanent furlough. [Laughter]
        Approximately 45 million turkeys will be consumed tomorrow all
    across our country but not this one. As in previous years, it will be
    donated to Kidwell Farms, a petting zoo in Fairfax, Virginia. I am glad
    to be able to give this turkey a pardon. And as I said, if you look at
    his very patriotic red, white, and blue face and feathers, it seems like
    the American thing to do on Thanksgiving.
        I believe this turkey was born in the State of California and raised
    there. And we're delighted to have the turkey and the turkey's owner
    come all the way from California. And to all the farmers who raise
    turkeys in North Carolina, Minnesota, California, my home State of
    Arkansas, and throughout the country, let me say we appreciate what you
    do for our agricultural sector and for the nutrition of the United
    States.
        But I'm very glad that one of your products is going to be exempt
    from the cruel fate that will make so many of us happy tomorrow. And by
    this action, I hereby pardon this turkey. There are so many turkeys in
    Washington, I should pardon at least one a year, I think. [Laughter]
        Thank you very much.

    Note: The President spoke at 2:04 p.m. in the Rose Garden at the White
    House.