Thanksgiving at the White House, Then and Now
November is an opportune time to reflect on America's sacred traditions. While other holidays celebrate important values – Independence Day stokes our patriotism, for example, and Memorial Day reminds us solemnly of sacrifice – perhaps no day invites as much calm, personal reflection as does Thanksgiving.
President George Washington issued the first Thanksgiving proclamation, designating Thursday, November 26, 1789, as a day of public thanksgiving for the first time under the new Constitution. Thanksgiving Day became a unified national celebration under President Abraham Lincoln, who declared the last Thursday in November to be regularly commemorated as Thanksgiving Day. In his proclamation, President Lincoln implored the war-torn nation to seek peace, harmony, and tranquility in the midst of what would become America’s deadliest war.
Since then, American Presidents have often used Thanksgiving proclamations to express their hopes for peace and well-being at home and abroad. "This year we have special and moving cause to be grateful and to rejoice,” President Woodrow Wilson said in 1918, mere days after the end of World War I. “God has in His good pleasure given us peace. . . . Complete victory has brought us, not peace alone, but the confident promise of a new day as well in which justice shall replace force and jealous intrigue among the nations."
Some Presidents spend Thanksgiving at the White House; others celebrate at Camp David or private family residences. The menu includes traditional Thanksgiving foods along with regional favorites, depending on the preferences of the First Family.
Turkey, of course, is a staple – but not the National Thanksgiving Turkey, which traditionally receives a Presidential pardon. Turkeys have been sent as gifts to American Presidents from as early as the 1870s, sometimes arriving in elaborate crates and costumes. By the 1920s, the influx of these turkeys had increased so greatly that President Calvin Coolidge discouraged Americans from sending them, reported a 1923 New York Times article. Eventually, however, the tradition resumed, and President Coolidge received not only turkeys, but quail, ducks, geese, rabbits, and a deer.
The most unusual gift was a raccoon, which was not served for dinner but became a Coolidge family pet.
In the 1940s, farmers and manufacturers began to send birds to the White House as a means of promoting the poultry industry. Sparing the turkey from becoming dinner became a tradition under President Ronald Reagan, but President George H. W. Bush was the first to formally grant the bird a Presidential pardon, taking a cue from the animal rights activists picketing nearby.
The tradition of selecting and pardoning a National Thanksgiving Turkey continues to this day. On Tuesday, November 21, President Donald J. Trump delivered the 2017 turkey pardon to a bird named “Drumstick.” Before pardoning the bird, President Trump delivered remarks in the Rose Garden, urging Americans toward greater unity and thanking the Armed Forces, police, and first responders for their service.
"As we gather together with our families on Thanksgiving and give thanks for our many blessings, we are reminded of the national family to which we all belong as citizens of this incredible country,” the President said. “This Thursday, as we give thanks for our cherished loved ones, let us also renew our bonds of trust, loyalty, and affection between our fellow citizens as members of a proud national family of Americans.”
The President and First Family wish all Americans a peaceful, happy, and healthy start to this holiday season.
West Wing Reads for 11/21/17
NOVEMBER 21, 2017 AT 6:09 PM ET BY WEST WING READS
Summary:
Each day we round up the best stories the West Wing is reading and share them with you.
“OPIOID CRISIS COST $504B IN 2015, HIGHER THAN ONCE THOUGHT”
- Darlene Superville, The Associated Press
Darlene Superville of The Associated Press reports that the opioid epidemic “appears to be more expensive than previously thought,” according to a new analysis by the White House Council of Economic Advisers. The report estimates that the actual cost of the crisis in 2015 was $504 billion, which clocks in at “more than six times the most recent estimate.” The CEA explained the number is significantly larger because the epidemic has worsened at an alarming pace, with overdose deaths doubling in the past decade. The report comes a month after President Trump declared the opioid crisis a national public health emergency.
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Regarding tax reform, Rep. John Katko (R-NY) writes via Syracuse.com that he voted for tax reform because he wants to create jobs, give his constituents a tax break, and support local businesses' efforts “to invest in Central New York and our workforce.” Rep. Katko says that manufacturers in his area “have long affirmed the need for comprehensive reforms,” which is why they’re backing the bill.
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In economic news, Bloomberg’s Sho Chandra reports sales of existing U.S. homes rose 2 percent to a four-month high as buyers closed more deals in hurricane-hit Florida and Texas. "The momentum appears to be good,” said National Association of Realtors’ Chief Economist Lawrence Yun, adding that activity is “quickly bouncing back.”
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On veterans’ health, Ben Kesling and Peter Nicholas of the Wall Street Journal write that Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin wants private-sector providers “to play a larger role in veterans’ health care.” His department is looking to make the VA’s hospital system more competitive, which would “give veterans greater choice over their health care.”
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In news on the Islamic State, Bill Gertz of the Washington Free Beacon reports that a majority of regional branches or affiliates of ISIS and al Qaeda “have been suppressed, contained, or placed under pressure from global counterterrorism efforts, according to the U.S. Special Operations Command.”
Office of the Press Secretary
November 21, 2017
President Donald J. Trump Announces Key Additions to his Administration
President Donald J. Trump today announced his intent to nominate the following individuals to key positions in his Administration:
Phyllis L. Bayer of Mississippi to be an Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Installations, Energy, and the Environment. Ms. Bayer most recently served as Chief of Staff in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Readiness where she managed policy development to shape and affect the readiness of the 2.4 million members of the U.S. Armed Forces. Ms. Bayer previously served as program manager in the Office of the Deputy Chief Management Officer, executive director of the Defense Business Board, and senior policy analyst for OSD Test and Evaluation. Ms. Bayer is a recipient of the Meritorious Civilian Service Award from the Office of the Secretary of Defense, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy Recognition Medallion, and the Office of the Secretary of Defense Exceptional Civilian Service Award. She is a graduate of the National Defense University, Central Michigan University, University of Southern Mississippi, and the University of Southern Mississippi. Ms. Bayer is married to Michael J. Bayer and they reside in Georgetown, Washington, D.C.
Erik Bethel of Florida to be United States Alternate Executive Director of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development. Mr. Bethel has more than 20 years of investment banking, private equity, and M&A experience in emerging markets. Prior to joining the Trump Administration, Mr. Bethel held positions at Franklin Templeton, JPMorgan, and Morgan Stanley, among others. Mr. Bethel has lived and worked in both Latin America and Asia and speaks English, Spanish, Portuguese, and Mandarin. He earned an M.B.A. degree from The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, and a B.S. in economics and political science from the United States Naval Academy, Annapolis.
David T. Fischer of Michigan to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Kingdom of Morocco.Mr. Fischer is the Chairman, CEO, and principal owner of The Suburban Collection, one of the largest privately held automotive dealership groups in the United States. Mr. Fischer provides philanthropy to many charities and has joined the boards of numerous academic, cultural, and social welfare institutions and foundations. He has been a Member of the Judicial Tenure Commission in Detroit since 2012. Mr. Fischer earned a B.A. at Parsons College.
Joseph E. Macmanus of New York to be Ambassador Extraordinary & Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Republic of Colombia. Mr. Macmanus, a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, class of Minister-Counselor, has served as an American diplomat since 1986. He is currently Adviser to the Secretary of State, a position he undertook in June 2017. Previously, he was Senior Adviser to the Secretary of State and Executive Secretary of the Department of State from 2014-2017. A former Ambassador, Mr. Macmanus has been a senior aide to four Secretaries of State. He has served at five U.S. Missions overseas. Mr. Macmanus earned a B.A. at the University of Notre Dame and a M.L.S. at the State University of New York at Buffalo. He speaks Spanish, French, and Polish.
Judy Lynn Shelton of Virginia to be United States Director of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. Ms. Shelton has testified before Congress on numerous occasions as an expert witness on international finance, banking, and monetary issues. A former Senior Research Fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University, she is the author of two books on global economic developments. Ms. Shelton currently serves as Chairman of the National Endowment for Democracy and is a Senior Fellow at the Atlas Network. She holds an M.B.A. and a Ph.D. degree in business administration specializing in finance and international economics from the University of Utah. She received a postdoctoral fellowship from the Hoover Institution through the National Fellows program.
Barbara Stewart of Illinois to be Chief Executive Officer for the Corporation of National Community Service. Ms. Stewart currently works with non-profit organizations to strengthen their external relations efforts. She co-founded the Bowe-Stewart Foundation. Ms. Stewart retired from JPMorgan Chase as senior vice president in the firm’s Global Government Relations Group, where she was responsible for strategy development, personnel, budget and operations management. Previously, she served in policy and management roles for an Illinois Governor and two Lt. Governors, and led the Chicago public affairs practice of Fleishman-Hillard. Ms. Stewart earned a B.A. and M.B.A. from Northwestern University. She serves as Trustee at the Adler Planetarium and the Civic Federation of Chicago, and on the Boards of Christopher House, the Baltimore Urban Debate League, and the Center for Urban Families.
James Edwin Williams of Utah to be the Chief Financial Officer of the Department of Labor. Mr. Williams most recently served as general counsel of Liquidity Services, Inc., where he led the legal aspects of the company’s public offering of shares on Nasdaq, acquisitions and worldwide expansion. Mr. Williams counseled the board and executive team on all governance, legal, and risk management matters. Mr. Williams previously served as the General Counsel of Acterna Corporation, a former telecommunications equipment manufacturer. He is a 2014 recipient of the CXO of the year, from the Smart CEO Executive Management Awards. Mr. Williams is a graduate of Brown University, and the University of Chicago Law School.
The following individuals to be Members of the Board of Trustees of the Morris K. Udall and Stewart L. Udall Foundation:
Tadd M. Johnson of Minnesota for the remainder of a 6-year term expiring October 6, 2022.
Lisa Johnson-Billy of Oklahoma for the remainder of a 6-year term expiring June 25, 2018 and an additional term expiring August 25, 2024.
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President Donald J. Trump Announces Intent to Appoint Jeffrey Anderson to the Department of Justice
Jeffrey H. Anderson of Virginia to be Director of the Bureau of Justice Statistics, Department of Justice. Mr. Anderson is a constitutional scholar and is a leader in formulating domestic policy proposals. Mr. Anderson served as a professor at the U.S. Air Force Academy, where he won the USAFA Political Science Department’s highest honors for upper-division teaching and for research and writing (for “Learning from the Great Council of Revision Debate”). As the 2017 Project’s Executive Director and a Hudson Institute Senior Fellow, Mr. Anderson advanced creative proposals, including Main Street-oriented health-care, tax, and immigration reform. He was Director of the Office of Health Reform at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in 2017, leading efforts to reduce insurance premiums, regulatory burdens, and opioid abuse. Mr. Anderson co-created the Anderson and Hester Computer Rankings, which were part of the BCS formula to determine college football’s annual national championship matchup. Mr. Anderson received a Ph.D. in political science from Claremont Graduate University
Office of the Press Secretary
November 21, 2017
Remarks by President Trump Before Marine One Departure
South Lawn
3:16 P.M. EST
Q Mr. President, are you ready to talk about Roy Moore at all?
THE PRESIDENT: Yeah, I'll be talking about him. I can tell you one thing for sure: We don't need a liberal person in there, a Democrat -- Jones. I've looked at his record. It's terrible on crime. It's terrible on the border. It's terrible on the military. I can tell you for a fact, we do not need somebody that's going to be bad on crime, bad on borders, bad with the military, bad for the Second Amendment.
Q Is Roy Moore, a child molester, better than a Democrat? He's an accused --
THE PRESIDENT: Well, he denies it. Look, he denies it. I mean, if you look at what is really going on, and you look at all the things that have happened over the last 48 hours, he totally denies it. He says it didn’t happen. And, you know, you have to listen to him also. You're talking about, he said 40 years ago this did not happen. So, you know --
Q Are you going to campaign for Roy Moore?
THE PRESIDENT: I'll be letting you know next week. But I can tell you, you don’t need somebody who's soft on crime, like Jones.
Q Mr. President, what is your message to women, sir, during this pivotal moment in our country where we're talking about sexual misconduct? You've had your own allegations against you. What do you say to women?
THE PRESIDENT: Let me just tell you, Roy Moore denies it. That's all I can say. He denies it. And, by the way, he totally denies it.
Q Mr. President, what is your message to women? This is a pivotal moment in our nation's history.
THE PRESIDENT: Women are very special. I think it's a very special time because a lot of things are coming out, and I think that's good for our society, and I think it's very, very good for women. And I'm very happy a lot of these things are coming out, and I'm very happy it's being exposed.
Q Should Al Franken resign now?
THE PRESIDENT: I don’t know -- look, I don’t want to speak for Al Franken. I don’t know what happened.
Q What about John Conyers?
THE PRESIDENT: I just heard about Conyers two minutes ago.
As far as Franken is concerned, he's going to have to speak for himself. I'd rather have him speak for himself.
Q What did you say to Vladimir Putin, sir?
THE PRESIDENT: We had a great call with President Putin. We're talking about peace in Syria -- very important. We're talking about North Korea. We had a call that lasted almost an hour and a half. We've just put out a release on the call. But we're talking very strongly about bringing peace for Syria. We're talking about very strongly about North Korea and Ukraine.
Q The AT&T-Time Warner merger, sir -- what do you think about it?
THE PRESIDENT: Well, I'm not going to get involved in litigation. But, personally, I've always felt that that was a deal that's not good for the country. I think your pricing is going to go up. I don’t think it's a good deal for the country. But I'm not going to get involved. It's litigation.
Thank you, everybody. Have a very great Thanksgiving.
Q Do you believe Roy Moore's denials? Do you believe him?
THE PRESIDENT: Well, he denies. I mean, Roy Moore denies it. And, by the way, he gives a total denial. And I do have to say, 40 years is a long time. He's run eight races, and this has never comes up. So 40 years is a long time. The women are Trump voters; most of them are Trump voters. All you can do is, you have to do what you have to do. He totally denies it.
Q Mr. President, do you believe Congress should release the names of lawmakers who have settled on sexual harassment claims?
THE PRESIDENT: I do. I really do. I think they should. Thank you. Have a good Thanksgiving, everybody.
END
Office of the Press Secretary
November 21, 2017
President Donald J. Trump Signs H.R. 194, H.R. 1545, H.R. 1679, H.R. 3243 and H.R. 3949 into Law
On Tuesday, November 21, 2017, the President signed into law:
H.R. 194, the "Federal Agency Mail Management Act of 2017,"
which requires the General Services Administration to provide guidance and assistance to Federal agencies to ensure effective processing of the mail;
H.R. 1545, the "VA Prescription Data Accountability Act of 2017," which require the Department of Veterans Affairs to disclose information about covered individuals to State controlled substance monitoring programs to help to prevent misuse and diversion of prescription medications;
H.R. 1679, the "FEMA Accountability, Modernization and Transparency Act of 2017," which requires the Federal Emergency Management Agency to ensure that the ongoing modernization of grant systems for the administration of disaster assistance include specified features to improve applicant accessibility and transparency;
H.R. 3243, the "FITARA Enhancement Act of 2017," which extends and makes permanent several provisions of the Federal Information Technology Acquisition Reform Act (FITARA); and
H.R. 3949, the "Veterans Apprenticeship and Labor Opportunity
Reform (VALOR) Act of 2017," which provides for the designation of State approving agencies for multi-state apprenticeship programs for purposes of the educational assistance programs of the Department of Veterans Affairs.
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