Let us begin by stipulating that there is nothing liberal nor conservative about the tradition of presidents pardoning turkeys. It has been going on for decades under presidents of both parties–JFK was officially the first, although Abraham Lincoln also reportedly spared one as a favor to his son.
But, today, even presidential turkey pardons have become a source of partisan disagreement.
Public Policy Polling recently asked 1,360 registered voters if they approved or disapproved of “President Obama’s executive action last year to pardon 2 turkeys rather than the customary one turkey at Thanksgiving?”
Overall, 35% of respondents approved while 22% disapproved. The rest were unsure, or perhaps just gobsmacked that they were being asked such a question.
Within those numbers, however, only 11% of Republicans supported Obama’s pardons of “Mac” and “Cheese,” compared to 38% who were opposed. Democrats favored the move by a 59-11 margin, while independents supported it by a 28-21 ratio.
It’s too bad that Mac and Cheese are still around to see this sort of mindless political bickering.