November 24, 2005
Thursday

President George W. Bush pets "Marshmallow," the National Thanksgiving Turkey, Tuesday, November 22, 2005, during the Turkey Pardoning Ceremony, held in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building in Washington. White House photo by Shealah Craighead

At the official pardoning ceremony Tuesday of two turkeys at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building in Washington, Marshmallow, the National Thanksgiving Turkey, was introduced by President George W. Bush. Bush said of Yam, the alternative turkey receiving a pardon, "He's around here somewhere. He's not going to be in this room. He's in a pickup truck hanging out by the South Lawn."

Bush said, "The granting of the turkey pardon is not a responsibility that I take lightly..." He said, "I'm going to grant a pardon this afternoon, and the pardon I grant comes with a new measure of responsibility and fame for Marshmallow and Yam. In the past years, the turkeys I spared went on to lead lives of leisure at Frying Pan Park in the state of Virginia. This year is going to be a little different. Marshmallow and Yam were a little skeptical about going to a place called "Frying Pan Park." I don't blame them. So I'm proud to announce that Marshmallow and Yam will serve as honorary grand marshals at Disneyland's Thanksgiving Day Parade. And they'll go on to spend the rest of their natural lives at Disneyland."

The President invited children on stage to pet "Marshmallow, " the National Thanksgiving Turkey, at the official pardoning ceremony. Bush said, "...the White House is called the people's house, and we're going to call Marshmallow and Yam the people's turkeys. They made it here through a democratic process. There was a nationwide election on the White House website."

President Bush said, "In the end, the voters made the choice, and it was a close election. You might say it was neck and neck."

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