Outgoing US president Barack Obama intends to continue the tradition of “pardoning” a turkey every year even after leaving office.
While his daughters Malia and Sasha were thankful that this is going to be their father’s final turkey pardon, the president has jokingly hinted that he intends to carry on the tradition.
“Malia and Sasha, by the way, are thankful that this is my final presidential turkey pardon. What I haven’t told them yet is that we are going to do this every year from now on,” he said to laughter. “No cameras. Just us. Every year. No way I’m cutting this habit cold turkey.”
Obama pardoned his last turkey as U.S. president on Wednesday and was joined in the Rose Garden by his young nephews, Austin and Aaron Robinson as his daughters were unavoidably absent this year.
Obama, who leaves office in January, has followed the annual tradition of “pardoning” a turkey every year before the Thanksgiving Day holiday, which many Americans celebrate with a turkey dinner.
As White House staff filled the Rose Garden, the president had a word for them and the nation at large.
“On this Thanksgiving”, he said. “I want to express my sincere gratitude to the American people for the trust that you’ve placed in me over these last eight years and the incredible kindness that you’ve shown my family,” he said. “On behalf of Michelle, and my mother-in-law, and our girls, we want to thank you so very, very much.”
After finishing his remarks, the president blessed a 40-pound (18-kg) fowl from Iowa, granting it a long life and a pardon from appearing on an American dinner table. A backup turkey also had its life spared. Their names: “Tot” and “Tater.”
