Even without the pop stars, the president is doing right by poultry.
Updated Nov 20, 2023 at 3:57 pm EST|Published Nov 20, 2023 at 3:19 pm EST
Although Biden called it “the biggest edition of this wonderful White House Thanksgiving tradition,” the event felt pretty breezy and memorable — even by turkey-pardon standards.
Maybe that’s not such a bad thing. With two wars going on and the government perpetually on the brink of a strike, perhaps this is not the time to celebrate. too Very much. Last month, the White House decided to ground the B-52s as entertainment planned for a state dinner in Australia, citing the political climate. Things haven’t changed much since then.
Biden was 25 minutes late Monday afternoon. Children sitting on their parents’ shoulders began to throb restlessly. After reaching the lectern around 12:40 p.m., Biden pulled on his pilots and said, “Before I start, I’m going to ask for a vote: Do I release the turkeys today?”
According to the voice poll, “yes” had it.
Biden noted that he is more comfortable with chickens because they never grow too big. He touted his administration’s investment in rural farms and paid tribute to former first lady Rosalyn Carter, who died Sunday at 96.
She made at least one gaffe that required an apology from the Swifties — which is especially unfortunate because Liberty and Belle are fans of Taylor Swift, according to Steve Liken, president of the National Turkish Federation.
“To get here, Liberty and Bell had to overcome some tough odds and competition,” Biden said. He added that getting a turkey to the White House was “harder than getting tickets to the Renaissance tour or Britney’s tour.” She’s down – it’s kind of hot in Brazil right now.
He seems to be referring to Taylor Swift’s Eras tour. A fan attending a concert in Rio de Janeiro died on Friday during a heat wave.
“That’s a big bird, man,” Biton said as one of the turkeys was brought to the stage. Then he raised his hand. “I hereby forgive Liberty and Belle. … All right. Congratulations, birds.
The ceremony is considered the unofficial start of the holidays in Washington, but Biden made a head start Sunday when he joined service members and military families in a “friends giving” event at a naval hangar in Norfolk. The opening scene of “Wonka”.
Although everyone involved insisted on the term “76th Annual Apology” — including Biden, who assured the crowd he wasn’t the first — it wasn’t quite right.
The National Poultry and Egg Board and the National Turkey Federation began gifting turkeys to the president in 1947. That was the same year the government approved “chicken-free Thursdays”, which were meant to promote food security in the wake of World War II, but naturally caused outrage. Poultry industry and restaurant owners. In a protest called “Hens for Harry,” farmers protested against President Harry S. Truman began sending boxes of live chickens.
Did Truman pardon the turkeys? Probably not. The following year, he accepted two more, saying they would “come to me” for holiday meals. Over the years, the turkey has been pardoned from time to time by presidents (John F. Kennedy in 1963) and first ladies (Patricia Nixon in 1973, Rosalyn Carter in 1978).
But the annual tradition began in 1989 with President George HW Bush. “But I promise you, and this great Tom turkey, he won’t be on anybody’s dinner table,” Bush said, according to the White House Historical Society. Animal rights activists protested nearby. Instead the turkey “will spend its days at a children’s farm not far from here.”
The ceremony has been going on ever since and has even spread to the lower levels of government. Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) will save the life of a turkey named Dolly Parton this week.
That history, of course, is about squatting for Liberty and Bell. Their whirlwind trip to DC included a regular stay at the Willard Hotel, where they met the public for the first time on Sunday — and a little cutie-parazzi.
“They checked in, they went to their rooms, they looked at a map of what to do in town, they took a bubble bath, and I heard from the minibar that they had something too,” said Marcus, the hotel’s general manager. Blatcher said during a media preview. His claims could not be independently verified.
Now, the turkeys are headed back north, where they will be housed in the University of Minnesota’s College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences.
They should be happy there, according to Biden.
“They love Honeycrisp apples,” she said of the turkeys. “Not bad, huh? Ice hockey. I sure as hell want to see them play ice hockey.
Correction
An earlier version of this article incorrectly referred to the National Turkish Federation. The article has been corrected.
