Elephants Talk Turkey

Written by Chris Brown on Wednesday November 25, 2009

What are you doing for Thanksgiving? FrumForum polled some Republicans and conservatives - including Grover Norquist, Mark Kirk, Chuck DeVore, Arthur Brooks, Marco Rubio, and Charlie Crist - to see what their plans were this year, and whether they had any Thanksgiving traditions.

What are you doing for Thanksgiving? FrumForum polled some Republicans and conservatives to see what their plans were this year, and whether they had any Thanksgiving traditions.

Respondents included Grover Norquist, Mark Kirk, Chuck DeVore, Arthur Brooks, Marco Rubio, Charlie Crist, and many others.



Grover Norquist – President, Americans for Tax Reform

Mr. Norquist isn’t getting a turkey small enough to drown in his bathtub. Instead, he’ll probably need quite a large turkey – he’s having dinner with his family and relatives who are coming in from out of town.

Most memorable Thanksgiving? “My younger brother was born on Thanksgiving,” Norquist tells FrumForum. “That sort of changed our plans.”


Eli Lake – National Security Correspondent, Washington Times

This Thanksgiving, Eli is going to be in Dubai, on his way to Iraq. He’s not really sure whether or not they serve turkeys in the United Arab Emirates on American thanksgiving.


Rep. Mark Kirk – Republican, 10th District of Illinois; Candidate, Illinois Senate Seat

Congressman Kirk is a Commander in the U.S. Navy Reserve who spends one weekend a month as the Deputy Director of the Pentagon’s National Military Command Center.

So, after spending some time with his mom and stepdad, he’ll be “pulling some Navy Duty” at the Pentagon over the holidays. He tells FrumForum that he’s hoping someone leaves some extra chow at the Pentagon for him while he’s on duty.


Richard Brookhiser – Senior Editor, National Review; Author, Right Time, Right Place

Mr. Brookhiser gives FrumForum an answer worthy of a much-lauded historian:

I spent the Thanksgivings of my childhood at my grandmother's house in Johnstown, New York. It seemed like a step back in time: my grandmother was born in the early 1880s.

...Apart from her and her trappings, the holiday was noteworthy for being commonplace. There was a turkey; it was stuffed. There were mashed potatoes; they were served with gravy. Special flatware came out of velvet bags, tied with grosgrain handles; nuts were served in cut glass dishes.

We ate to insensibility. We watched the Macy's parade on television, followed by football games. We ate the same meal for dinner, warmed up (the food seemed better and better as it became more and more left over). We were as comfortable as clams, and as unconscious.

And isn't not having had to think about it, something (later) to be thankful for?


Chuck DeVore – Candidate, California Senate Seat

DeVore explains his Thanksgiving tradition to FrumForum:

Every Thanksgiving, as well as Easter, my family invites people over for a traditional banquet.  Our nearest relatives are far away, so we decided to create our own tradition for these two key holidays. We invite over friends who have no local family as well as friends who are financially strapped.  For the day, they become our extended family.


Marco Rubio – Fmr. Speaker of Florida House; Candidate, Florida Senate Seat

Rubio’s Thanksgiving tradition is playing flag football. He’ll be spending the day at his house with his family. See his Thanksgiving message on YouTube here.


Sergio Gor – Director of Outreach, Americans for Limited Government

This year, Sergio is going to be snacking on a deep-fried turkey with his family, who are flying in from California. Sergio recalls taking care of his own turkey one year in high school for an elective veterinary and agriculture class. His time with this turkey came to an abrupt end when he slaughtered and ate it for Thanksgiving one year.


Shmuel Herzfeld – Rabbi, The National Synagogue; Contributor, FrumForum

Rabbi Herzfeld is welcoming over 100 people to his synagogue for a free Thanksgiving dinner. Shmuel tells FrumForum that they’re invited to come dressed like pilgrims.

His Thanksgiving tradition involves going to the police station for their 6AM roll call to bring them breakfast, as well as bringing some pizza by the local fire station as a gesture of thanks.


Sen. James Inhofe – Republican, Oklahoma

Senator Inhofe will be spending Thanksgiving in Oklahoma with his wife Kay and their twenty kids and grandkids. As per tradition, Kay will be fixing up a traditional turkey dinner.


Arthur Brooks – President, American Enterprise Institute

Arthur Brooks is staying home with his family and a few friends. His tradition, in his words, is “overeating and then self-loathing.”


Gov. Charlie Crist – Governor of Florida

Governor Crist and the First Lady will be having Thanksgiving dinner in St. Petersburg with the governor's family.  The Governor tells FrumForum that he is thankful for the freedoms we all cherish, and most of all to the men and women in uniform.


Soren Dayton - Editor, TheNextRight

In his first Thanksgiving since he got married, Soren is having dinner with his mom and his wife’s family. His Thanksgiving tradition involves making pumpkin pie with his mom.


John Boehner – House Minority Leader

Rep. Boehner will be spending time celebrating the holiday with his family in Cincinnati.


Mitch McConnell – Senate Minority Leader

Senator McConnell is set for a busy week - he'll be travelling through the state of Kentucky over the Thanksgiving holidays.


David Frum - Editor, FrumForum

David Frum will spend Thanksgiving in the same way he always does - not watching football.

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