    [Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 44, Number 47 (Monday, December 1, 2008)]
    [Pages 1459-1460]
    [Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

    <R04>
    Remarks at the Thanksgiving Turkey Presentation Ceremony

    November 26, 2008

        Thank you all. Please be seated. Welcome to the Rose Garden for the
    pardoning of the National Thanksgiving Turkey.
        This is a tradition that dates back to the Presidency of Harry
    Truman. Just to be safe, I will be pardoning a second bird--[laughter]--
    in the unlikely event the main act chickens out. [Laughter] Turkeys are
    not only the ones on edge this morning; you see, it turns out the Rose
    Garden is Barney's turf. [Laughter] So the press corps is a little
    nervous as well. [Laughter]
        I appreciate the representatives of the National Turkey Federation
    who have joined us: President Joel Brandenberger; Chairman Paul Hill;
    Paul's wife, Mary June. Today's birds were hatched on the Hill family
    farm in Ellsworth, Iowa. Paul's son, Nathan, and daughter-in-law, Betsy,
    along with grandsons Collin and Connor, did a fabulous job of raising
    the guests of honor.
        I also welcome the children here from Cloverly Elementary School.
    And after I make my brief remarks, you will be welcome to come up and
    pet our feathered friends.
        This is an election year, so it is fitting that the names of these
    two birds were chosen through the democratic process. After a long,
    drawn-out election season, when the people finally spoke, the name of
    the ticket sent here to the White House was Pumpkin and Pecan.
    [Laughter] Pumpkin is right there. [Laughter] Pecan is in an undisclosed
    location. [Laughter]
        Pumpkin and Pecan have an exciting trip ahead of them. Later today
    they will fly to Disneyland aboard ``Turkey One.'' [Laughter] Pumpkin
    will be the honorary grand marshal of Disneyland's Thanksgiving Day
    Parade. Together, these birds will gobble the rest of their days in
    ``the happiest place on Earth.'' I just hope they stay humble there.
    [Laughter]
        This is my final Thanksgiving as the President. Over the past 8
    years, I have been given

    [[Page 1460]]

    many reasons to be thankful. I'm thankful to our men and women in
    uniform, and I am incredibly proud to have been their Commander in
    Chief. I am thankful for the armies of compassion, volunteers who feed
    the hungry and shelter the poor. I am thankful for the teachers and
    nurses and pastors and police officers and firefighters, and others who
    serve their neighbors and better their communities.
        I'm thankful for the wonderful and supporting family that I have
    been blessed with. I'm grateful to Laura for her love. I'm grateful for
    two Thanksgiving miracles who were blessed--who we were blessed with 27
    years ago: Barbara and Jenna. I'm thankful for the fact that my mother
    is doing well. And this year, we're looking forward to having another
    place at our Thanksgiving table with a son-in-law, and I'm thankful for
    Henry.
        Most of all, I thank the American people for the tremendous
    privilege of serving as the President. In recent weeks, I've talked a
    lot about sprinting to the finish. Yet I've assured these turkeys they
    will not be trotting to their finish. [Laughter] That's because in
    keeping with a longstanding tradition, Pumpkin and Pecan are hereby
    granted a full and unconditional Presidential pardon.
        I wish all Americans a happy Thanksgiving, and may God bless you.

    Note: The President spoke at 11:20 a.m. in the Rose Garden at the White
    House. In his remarks, he referred to Henry Hager, husband of Jenna
    Bush.