MSNBC: Bush pardons Delay

well, he does have a mandate...

http://msnbc.msn.com/id/6567178/site/newsweek/

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Bush Kills Turkey, Pardons Tom DeLay
In a departure from White House tradition, the president shakes up Thanksgiving ceremony
By Andy Borowitz

Nov. 23 - President George W. Bush broke with White House tradition today, killing the ceremonial White House turkey and pardoning House Majority Leader Tom DeLay instead.

The reporters and busloads of school children who had gathered on the White House lawn to see the president pardon this year's turkey, named Biscuits, were surprised to hear Bush adopt a hard-line stance toward the bird.

"I have political capital, and I intend to spend it—first by killing, and then by eating, this delectable turkey," Bush announced to the stunned onlookers, who watched as Biscuits was dragged away by two burly Secret Service agents.

Bush then said that he would use his traditional Thanksgiving pardon to free DeLay should he be indicted for political corruption charges in Texas, and then paraded the Texas congressman across the lawn to complete the festive holiday ceremony.

Jenny Colver, 11, of Silver Spring, Md., expressed a view shared my many who witnessed the history-making event: "He pardoned the wrong turkey."

As news of the Thanksgiving-themed reprieve spread, some in Washington argued that the president's pardoning of the House Majority Leader was unnecessary, since House Republicans already passed a law last week declaring DeLay an endangered species.

But White House spokesman Scott McClellan defended the president's action as in keeping with the holiday spirit: "This holiday is all about giving thanks, and right now Tom DeLay is extremely thankful that Republicans are calling the shots."

Elsewhere, Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge announced his resignation today but said he had "no specific information" about when or where his resignation would take place.