http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fcCgmjqDA7k
From the Onion: Biden Pardons Single Yam In Vice Presidential Thanksgiving Ritual
Via Sullivan: An explanation of how turkeys are trained to be pardoned
Turkeys are naturally skittish, but the select group was trained to be what the National Turkey Federation describes as “media-savvy.” Handlers familiarized the turkeys with human contact and played music around the clock so the turkeys got used to loud noises and human voices.