The Morning: Happy Thanksgiving

Plus, Lebanon, Trump and turkey farming.

View in browser|nytimes.com November 28, 2024 Happy Thanksgiving. We're covering the holiday tradition of arguing about politics — as well as Lebanon, Trump and turkey farming. Harold Lambert/Getty Images Gobbling and squabbling By Ian Prasad Philbrick I'm a writer on The Morning. Things have gotten so bad, we are told, that the Thanksgiving table is now a battlefield. Advice columnists, psychologists, therapists, podcasters and philosophers counsel us how to avoid or defuse arguments about politics. But sparring at (or about) Thanksgiving isn't new. It is, in fact, a very old tradition — no less American than pumpkin pie. Debates were on the menu even before Congress formally declared the federal holiday in 1941. Here, from The Times's archive, is a sample of what we've been arguing about. The New York Times 1. Thanksgiving itself. In 1939, President Franklin Roosevelt moved up the traditional Thanksgiving Day by a week to stimulate holiday shopping and boost the economy. The move prompted a national debate. Retailers were pleased and plenty of Americans didn't seem to mind. But traditionalists gnashed their teeth. "We here in Plymouth consider the day sacred," said a local official in the birthplace of the Thanksgiving dinner. "Who," asked a letter to the editor published by The Times, "wants a turkey one week thinner?" Some governors proclaimed separate Thanksgivings on the original day, inviting chaos that lasted until, in 1941, Congress standardized the date for the whole country. (Roosevelt, folding, signed the change into law.) Even some who stood to benefit from Roosevelt's move mocked it. In early November, a shopkeeper in Kokomo, Ind., put a sign in his store window that read: "Do your shopping now. Who knows, tomorrow may be Christmas." The New York Times 2. American iconography. A Times editorial in 1987 dinged Benjamin Franklin for (apocryphally) proposing the turkey to be the fledgling country's national symbol. "Who would thrill to a turkey clutching the arrows of war in its right talon and the olive branch of peace in its left?" The Times wrote. "The banners of the Caesars, Charlemagne and Napoleon were emblazoned with eagles." Soon, a reader shot back: "That the eagle was the symbol of these mischief makers was precisely why Franklin objected to it." 3. The Middle East. A Thanksgiving debate may be indirectly responsible for the existence of Israel. Ahead of the 1947 holiday, the United Nations was debating a plan to divide Palestine, a British-administered territory, into two sovereign states — one for Jews, one for Palestinian Arabs. The proposal seemed likely to fail. Arab and Muslim-majority countries opposed it, and much of Europe and Latin America was ambivalent. But when the U.N.'s American hosts called a Thanksgiving recess, advocates for Israel began a furious lobbying campaign. They won over Haiti, the Philippines, Liberia and France, and the partition plan passed on Saturday. "On what remote, and often irrelevant, factors historical decisions may sometimes depend," one negotiator later marveled about the holiday's role. (Ultimately, Arab states rejected partition, and Palestinian statehood is still debated today.) The New York Times 4. Gender equality. In 1973, Joyce Slayton Mitchell, a 40-year-old woman from Vermont who worked for the National Organization for Women, urged women to share the burden of prepping Thanksgiving dinner with their families. One year, Mitchell let her daughter carve a turkey cooked by her husband. Her father was having none of it. "He had a fit," she said. As The Times put it: "Poor grandfather. Instead of a proper New England Thanksgiving, he got his fill of feminism." 5. Vietnam. In 1965, a youth group in Rye, N.Y., invited high school students to spend the holiday debating sex, underage drinking and the Vietnam War. One boy burned a symbolic draft card, and a blond girl with braces said, "I guess if you really believe the war's wrong, maybe it's O.K. to burn it." Another boy retorted: "I'd rather be dead and buried than to be that selfish. The draft-card burners ought to be thrown in jail." The New York Times 6. Food. The pages of The Times have filled over the years with debate-inducing pieces about whether the food even matters, what should be served, which foods are healthy, which wines to pair and how to speed up the cooking of a turkey. More on Thanksgiving In Manhattan.  Hiroko Masuike/The New York Times The "Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade" is beloved — and unifying. In recent years, it has drawn more viewers than the Oscars or New Year's Eve telecasts. Why do the Detroit Lions and Dallas Cowboys play on Thanksgiving every year? The short answer: tradition. On a special episode of "The Daily," Ina Garten shares tips on the art of hosting. THE LATEST NEWS Middle East In central Beirut, Lebanon. Daniel Berehulak/The New York Times Lebanon sent troops to reclaim control of territory near Israel that the militant group Hezbollah had held. Thirteen months of war left Hezbollah weakened and desperate for a way to stop the fighting. Hamas believes that a wider regional war is its route to victory. The cease-fire between Israel and Hezbollah potentially removes Hamas's most important ally from the fight. In Syria, forces opposed to the government of President Bashar al-Assad launched their largest offensive in years, killing at least 89 people and overtaking a military base. More International News Exams dictate who gets India's highly coveted government jobs. Criminal gangs there are making money by leaking question sheets. In Pakistan, protesters demanding the release of a jailed former prime minister, Imran Khan, have disrupted life in the capital for days. Trump Administration Donald Trump Jr. Hiroko Masuike/The New York Times While many of Trump's children have retreated from his inner circle, Donald Trump Jr. has made a name as the person who can best assess loyalty to his father's political brand. Mexico's president, Claudia Sheinbaum, spoke to President-elect Trump. The talks came after Trump threatened tariffs. Drug company executives are wary of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Trump's pick for health secretary. Kennedy has accused them of the "mass poisoning" of Americans. Elon Musk has promised to slash the federal budget. Court challenges and existing laws could make that difficult. Several people picked for Trump's cabinet faced bomb threats. Keith Kellogg, Trump's pick for envoy to Ukraine and Russia, believes the U.S. should focus on negotiating an end to the war. Mark Zuckerberg met with Trump at Mar-a-Lago. Zuckerberg is trying to forge a better relationship with the president-elect. Other Big Stories Ohio banned trans students from using the bathroom that aligns with their gender identity, joining at least a dozen states with such laws. China and the United States swapped prisoners. The Biden administration released a Chinese intelligence officer in exchange for three Americans, including an F.B.I. informant. A judge said New York City had failed to limit violence and protect prisoners at Rikers Island, and threatened to put an outside official in charge of the city's jails. A pastor was charged with nearly 200 counts of sexual abuse crimes involving children, many of them his relatives, dating back more than three decades. Opinions Before her daughter was born, Daniela Lamas was indecisive about becoming a mother. She is "almost embarrassed to admit" how much she loves parenthood, she writes. Here are columns by Maureen Dowd's brother, Kevin, celebrating Trump's win, and Pamela Paul on grandma food. Last chance to save on Cooking before Thanksgiving. Readers of The Morning: Save on a year of Cooking. Search recipes by ingredient or explore editors' picks to easily find something delicious. MORNING READS In New York. Lila Barth for The New York Times Dining sheds: Outdoor structures helped keep New York's restaurants afloat during the pandemic. They're coming down. Gobble it up: This pasture-raised turkey costs $90. A farmer explains what goes into that price. Colombia or Venezuela: Who makes the best arepa? Mark up: This 74-year-old fruit vendor sold the banana that was eventually auctioned for $6.2 million. When he learned the price, he began to cry. Lives Lived: Helen Gallagher won two Tonys for roles in "Pal Joey" and "No, No, Nanette" and three Emmys for her work on "Ryan's Hope." She died at 98. SPORTS N.F.L.: The Minnesota Vikings are to sign quarterback Daniel Jones to a one-year contract after the New York Giants released him. Men's college basketball: Auburn center Johni Broome starred in a 90-76 win over Memphis at the Maui Invitational championship. ARTS AND IDEAS In Minnesota. Graham Dickie/The New York Times The most celebrated resident of Frazee, Minn., is Big Tom, a 22-foot turkey with fiberglass feathers. Such supersize statues are common across the Midwest, forging identities for towns and, hopefully, enticing visitors who wish to glimpse the largest watermelon slice or Holstein cow. More on culture The filmmaker Ken Burns has slept in the same bedroom for over four decades. He credits his home with playing a role in his success. Sean Combs, who has been charged with sex trafficking and racketeering, was again denied bail. Seth Meyers pitched catchphrases for a frozen Thanksgiving pizza. "Because some years, Dad gets the kids on Thanksgiving," he joked. THE MORNING RECOMMENDS … Christopher Testani for The New York Times Shake together vodka, espresso, coffee liqueur and simple syrup for the best homemade espresso martini. Browse these Wirecutter-approved deals on non-junky toys. Consider a cheap pair of blue-light blocking glasses. Bring the best white elephant gift. GAMES Here is today's Spelling Bee. Yesterday's pangram was pedagogy. And here are today's Mini Crossword, Wordle, Sudoku, Connections and Strands. Thanks for spending part of your morning with The Times. See you tomorrow. —Ian Sign up here to get this newsletter in your inbox. Reach our team at themorning@nytimes.com. Editor: David Leonhardt Deputy Editor: Adam B. Kushner News Editor: Tom Wright-Piersanti Associate Editor: Lauren Jackson News Staff: Desiree Ibekwe, Sean Kawasaki-Culligan, Brent Lewis, German Lopez, Ian Prasad Philbrick, Ashley Wu News Assistant: Lyna Bentahar Saturday Writer: Melissa Kirsch Need help? 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