What has become one of America’s quirkiest traditions will take place today—the presidential pardoning of the White House turkey.

Since the Truman administration, White House staff have staged a pre-Thanksgiving Day photo op with the Commander in Chief and the turkey. However, History.com notes that the actual “pardoning” tradition didn’t begin until President George H. W. Bush started it in 1989.

Standing in the White House Rose Garden before a crowd of reporters and school children, Bush remar...