Courage the Pardoned Turkey Is Goin' To Disneyland

What's a turkey to do after being pardoned by the president? Fly to Disneyland first-class, of course!

Courage the Turkey and a gobbly pal are heading to "The Happiest Place on Earth" to spend the rest of their days with Mickey and his crew.

It sure beats having a starring role on the Thanksgiving table. Courage can thank President Obama — or, more accurately, first daughters Sasha and Malia — for the opportunity to live the life of leisure, unlike most of his fellow fowl this Thanksgiving.

"Thanks to the interventions of Malia and Sasha — because I was planning to eat this sucker — 'Courage' will also be spared this terrible and delicious fate," Obama said Wednesday on the North Portico of the White House, according to The Associated Press.

"I'm told Presidents Eisenhower and Johnson actually ate their turkeys," Obama also said. "You can't fault them for that; that's a good-looking bird."

Actually, NBC News looked into the history of the fowl presidential pardon and determined that Mr. Camelot himself, John F. Kennedy, was the first commander-in-chief to spare the life of a 55-pound turkey presented to him in 1963.

Despite a sign hanging around the bird's neck that read "Good eating, Mr. President," Kennedy took a look down at the "frightened, panting bird" and said, "We'll just let this one grow."

So Courage owes a big debt of gratitude to JFK. Also, no word on whether this bird sang "I Will Survive à la the Turkey Lady featured in today's Smile File.

Happy Thanksgiving all!

Illustration courtesy of Mr_Basmt via stock.xchang.