Step 1 : Introduction to the question "Which U.S. president began the tradition of bestowing a presidential pardon on a turkey each Thanksgiving?"
...Although Harry S. Truman is often credited with starting the tradition of presidential pardoning of a turkey at Thanksgiving, the Truman Library states that it has no evidence to substantiate this story. President Kennedy spared the turkey presented to him in 1963 but offered no official pardon. It was President George H.W. Bush who first stated the turkey offered to the White House was "granted a presidential pardon as of right now." Source: History.com
