President Barack Obama “pardoned” the TOTUS — the Turkey of the United States — in an annual White House Thanksgiving ceremony on Wednesday.
“America is after all a country of second chances, and this turkey has earned a second chance to live out the rest of his life comfortably,” Mr. Obama said.
Then, the president waved his hands over the fortunate fowl named Abe in a gesture that resembled a blessing, while the bird clucked and cooed.
Honest and Abe are 18-week-old, 40-pound birds, named from among submissions from California school children, the White House said. From the White House, the birds will be taken to a turkey farm in Leesburg, Va., where they will be “on display for visitors,” the White House said.
The Thanksgiving turkey pardoning is a beloved, if hokey, White House tradition dating back to the tenure of President Harry S. Truman.
Flanked by his two daughters Malia and Sasha, who appeared in turn mildly amused and embarrassed to be standing with him in the Rose Garden, Mr. Obama on Wednesday joked that critics have said he was “too soft on turkeys” — a reference to his clemency and pardon initiative.
“I’m sure the press is digging into whether or not the turkeys I’ve pardoned have really rededicated their lives to being good turkey citizens,” Mr. Obama said.
Thanksgiving is celebrated each year on the last Thursday of November.
No comments:
Post a Comment