Celebrate the 61st Annual Thanksgiving Turkey Pardon
This year marks the 61st anniversary of the National Thanksgiving Turkey presentation. Though live Thanksgiving turkeys have been presented intermittently to
presidents since the Lincoln administration, the current ceremony dates to 1947, when the first National Thanksgiving Turkey was presented to President Harry
Truman.
The peaceful transfer of power from one Presidential Administration to the next is a hallmark of American democracy.
With our Nation at war, our homeland targeted by terrorist adversaries, and our economy facing serious challenges, the
Administration is committed to establishing and executing a transition plan that minimizes disruption, maintains
continuity, and addresses the major changes in government since the 2000 transition, including the Intelligence Reform
and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004, as well as the creation of the Department of Homeland Security, the Director of
National Intelligence, and the Homeland Security Council.
On October 22, 2008, the President invited the leaders of the Group of 20 countries to a summit in the Washington, D.C. area, on November 15 to discuss financial markets and the global economy. The G-20 finance process, which includes key developed and emerging market countries, was established in 1999, after the last financial crisis with worldwide implications.
President Bush has outlined decisive government action to preserve and sustain America's financial system and economy. This is a pivotal moment for America's economy. Problems that originated in the credit markets – and first showed up in the area of subprime mortgages – have spread throughout our financial system. As a result, the government is acting now to protect our Nation's economic health from serious risk.
President Bush's top priority is the safety and security of the American people. Though America and its allies are safer since 9/11, we are not yet safe. We have important challenges ahead as we wage a long-term battle not just against terrorists, but against the ideology that supports their agenda.
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President George W. Bush waves to the troops at Fort Campbell, Ky., Tuesday, Nov. 25, 2008, after being introduced on stage during a Thanksgiving visit. Said the President, "Over the past seven years, folks from this base have done exactly what they were trained to do." "You have taken the battle of the terrorists overseas so we do not have to face them here in the United States. You have helped counter the hateful ideology of tyranny and terror with a more hopeful vision of justice and liberty. You're part of the great ideological struggle of our time. With the soldiers of Fort Campbell out front, the forces of freedom and liberty will prevail." White House photo by Eric Draper
President Bush on Wednesday said, "This is my final Thanksgiving as the President. Over the past eight years, I have been given 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 police officers and firefighters, and others who serve their neighbors and better their communities." Thanksgiving 2008
President Bush on Tuesday said, "So Laura and I wish you and your families a safe and happy Thanksgiving. We join you in praying for our troops spending the holiday far from home. We pray for those who've been wounded in battle, and for all who love and care for them. We hold in our thoughts and prayers the brave men and women who have given their lives, and the families who mourn for them. We ask the Almighty to watch over everyone who puts on the uniform, and has volunteered to serve this great land." En Español
President Bush on Monday said, "We've been through a lot together during our time in office. We strongly believe that Israel will benefit by having a Palestinian state, a democracy on her border that works for peace. And, Prime Minister, that vision is alive because of you. And I thank you for your steadfast support for peace." In Focus: Global Diplomacy
President Bush on Monday said, "The Secretary and I share the concerns of our citizens, concerns about jobs, concerns about their savings accounts. This is a tough situation for America. But we'll recover from it. And the first step to recovery is to safeguard our financial system." In Focus: Economy