In 1963, in one of his last acts before his assassination, President John F. Kennedy, when face-to-face with his live Thanksgiving Day turkey, disregarded the sign hung around the bird’s neck that read “Good eating, Mr. President” and said: “Let’s keep him going.” Kennedy said nothing about pardoning the turkey, but the media referred to his act as a “pardon” and “reprieve,” and the annual tradition was born.
-New York Times, November 22, 2024
Weekly Random Fact
