Meet Wishbone and Drumstick, the turkeys President Trump pardoned

November 22, 2017
Washington

For the 70th year in a row, the National Turkey Federation have chosen two turkeys to be pardoned by the U.S. president as part of a Thanksgiving tradition.
Video provided by Reuters
Newslook

WishboneÂ and Drumstick are going to gobble up the chance of a lifetime.

President Trump plans to pardonÂ the two turkeys during his inaugural turkey pardoning ceremony Tuesday afternoon, and they will soon go live out the remainder of their time at Virginia Tech.

The pardoning ceremony takes place Tuesday at 2 p.m. at the White House.Â

According to the White House, Drumstick and Wishbone have booming personalities.

Drumstick wonâ€™t stop believing inÂ his potential as he strutsÂ along to his favorite band, Journey, for the rest of his life.

Wishbone plans to live like he was dying while listening to his favorite country music stars, Tim McGraw and Faith Hill.

The duo checked into the Willard InterContinental hotel on Monday for a day of pampering before their date with destiny.Â

The pampered birds were raised in western Minnesota by Carl Wittenburg, chairman of the National Turkey Federation, and his wife, Sharlene. Five young women from the Douglas County 4-H chapter helped raise the birds, too, according to the White House.

Students from the area where the turkeys grew up continued the tradition of compiling a list of name pairing suggestions, said Keith Williams, NTF’s vice president of communications and marketing.

The White House received that list and chose the honored turkeys’Â names, Williams said. Â

They appear to beÂ the first pair of pardoned turkeys to be named after their own body parts.

More: Honest and Abe, turkeys Obama pardoned in 2015, are living their best lives in Virginia

In recent history, the names have been:

2001: Liberty and Freedom, in the wake of 9/11.
2002: Katie and Zack, named after the children of the chairman of the National Turkey Federation.
2003: Stars and Stripes, which narrowly won over Pumpkin and Cranberry in an online poll.
2004: Biscuits and Gravy
2005: Marshmallow and Yam
2006: Flyer and Fryer
2007: May and Flower
2008: Pumpkin and Pecan
2009: Courage and Carolina
2010: Apple and Cider
2011: Liberty and Peace
2012: Cobbler and Gobbler
2013: Caramel and Popcorn
2014: Mac and Cheese
2015: Honest and Abe
2016: Tater and TotÂ

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The National Thanksgiving Turkey, 'Tot,' flaps its President Obama with his nephews Aaron Robinson and Cobbler is seen before being pardoned by President President Obama gestures with his daughters Sasha (2nd Ira Brister, Foster Farms' Vice President of Turkey, President Obama (R) stands alongside a turkey named President Bush pardons May, the National Thanksgiving President Bush meets 'Flyer', the turkey and handler President Bush gives a reassuring caress to 'Marshmallow,' President Bush and handlers keep a tight hold on Biscuits President Bush pets 'Liberty' the turkey as he participates 'Jerry,' from Barron Wis., waits for his 'pardon,' President Clinton, holding his nephew Tyler, 6, grants
President Clinton, accompanied by Jim Cooper, chairman, National Turkey Federation, laughs while looking at Carl, a 35-pound turkey, wearing a White House visitors pass, which was presented to him at the White House Nov. 27, 1996. After the ceremony, the president continued a tradition begun by President Harry Truman 49 years ago by pardoning the turkey and sending it off to life in a Virginia petting farm. Â
Doug Mills, AP President Clinton looks over a 30-week-old 50-pound President Bush gestures during a Rose Garden ceremony, President Bush laughs as he is presented a Thanksgiving Shannon Duffy, 8, Fairfax, Virginia, reaches out for President Reagan, with Peter Hermanson, president of President Kennedy reaches out to touch a big, 40-pound