Pardon Me

Today is the day that a pair of Thanksgiving Turkeys receive their presidential pardon.  That's this year's pair in their room at Washington's Willard Hotel, where rooms run from $180 to $800 a night.
The turkeys hail from western Minnesota and were raised by National Turkey Federation Chairman Carl Wittenburg and his wife Sharlene, along with five young women from the Douglas County 4-H chapter.
If you've ever wondered what happens to the birds after they are pardoned, this year they are headed for Gobbler's Rest, an exhibit at Virginia Tech, where they are cared for by a team of students and veterinarians.  That doesn't guarantee a long and happy life - few of the previously pardoned birds have lasted more than a year.  As one expert put it, they were raised for the table, not longevity.