Bush Pardons Pumpkin And Pecan In Last Turkey Thanksgiving Ceremony

Washington, D.C. (AHN) - Pardoning his last turkey at the White House on Wednesday, President George W. Bush wished Americans a happy Thanksgiving and said he was thankful that his mother, former First Lady Barbara Bush, was "doing well."

In a late morning ceremony at the Rose Garden, Bush pardoned the National Thanksgiving turkey and an alternate, who was on stand by, the president said, "in the unlikely event that the main act chickens out."

The National Thanksgiving Turkey presentation is a tradition that dates back to 1947, when Harry Truman pardoned the first White House turkey. This year's turkeys are from Ellsworth, Iowa and and were raised under the direction of National Turkey Federation chairman Paul Hill.

The White House had voters choosing names for the two turkeys from a list that included Popcorn and Cranberry, Yam and Jam, Roost and Run. Announcing the winning names, the president joked, "It's an election year, so it is fitting that the names of these birds were chosen through the Democratic process. After a long, drawn-out election season, the people finally spoke. The name of the ticket sent here to the White House: Pumpkin and Pecan."

"This is my final Thanksgiving as president. Over the past eight years I have been given many reasons to be thankful," Bush added. "I'm thankful to our men and women in uniform and I'm incredibly proud to have been their commander-in-chief...I'm thankful for the fact that my mother is doing well."

The president's 83-year old mother was taken from her home in Houston to Methodist Hospital Tuesday night after suffering from abdominal pains. She is expected to be released on Wednesday.

The two turkey pardoned by Bush will be flown "first class" to Disneyland in California, where the 2008 Thanksgiving turkey will serve as grand marshal of "Disney's Thanksgiving Day Parade," according to the White House. After the parade, the turkeys will be in the Frontierland section where people can visit them.