President Joe Biden on Monday pardoned two chosen turkeys ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday, Chocolate and Chip, continuing a long-standing White House tradition with a far larger crowd than last year’s COVID-restricted event.
With the weather in the upper-30s in Washington, Biden promised the audience of a few hundred he would keep his speech short: “Nobody likes it when their turkey gets cold.”
Before pardoning the 46-pound Chocolate and 47-pound Chip, the president made a light reference to Republicans’ performance in this month’s midterm elections.
“There's no ballot stuffing, there's no ‘fowl’ play,” he joked.
“The only ‘red wave’ this season's going to be if German Shepherd Commander knocks over the cranberry sauce on our table,” he said of his pet dog, who was watching from the balcony White House residence.
The North Carolina turkeys, raised at Circle S Ranch in Monroe, will now go to live out the rest of their days at North Carolina State University.
“When we told them they were joining the Wolfpack they got a little scared,” Biden teased.
“Based on their temperament and commitment to being productive members of society, I hereby pardon … Chocolate and Chip,” he added, pausing for one turkey to gobble.
The president also encouraged Americans to “do your part” to make this winter better than the past two COVID-stricken holiday seasons.
“Two years ago, we couldn't even safely have Thanksgiving with the large family gatherings. Now we can. That's progress, and let's keep going,” he said.
“Get it today,” he said of the updated COVID-19 booster shot, encouraging people to visit Vaccines.gov.
While the tradition of presenting the president or first lady with a live bird dates back to the early 1900s, Harry Truman was the first to receive one from the National Turkey Federation in 1947, according to the White House Historical Association.
The practice was sporadic over the next few decades: John F. Kennedy in 1963 said “Let’s keep him going,” in reference to the turkey that year; first lady Rosalynn Carter sent the 1978 turkey to live at a mini zoo.
The tradition of sending the annual turkey to a farm became a regular tradition under president Ronald Reagan in 1981, and later George H.W. Bush was the first to formalize the “presidential pardon” portion.
Biden urged Americans this Thanksgiving to keep families in mind who have lost someone and have an empty seat at the table, including military families.
“This is a special time and we’re the greatest nation on Earth, so let's be grateful,” he said.
“From the Biden family to all of yours: Happy Thanksgiving and may God bless you all. And may God protect our troops,” Biden said, ending his speech as he usually does.
