Khaberni - This year, two lucky turkeys won the "White House lottery" by securing presidential pardons and permanent freedom, far from the Thanksgiving table.
The names of the turkeys, "Gobbler" and "Waddler," were chosen by public vote through an online poll, and they were pardoned by U.S. President Donald Trump and his wife Melania Trump on Tuesday, continuing the annual tradition that spares two Thanksgiving turkeys from becoming part of the feast.
During the ceremony, Trump pointed out Gobbler's joy, saying, "Look how happy he is." As for Waddler, he was not present at the official ceremony, so Trump jokingly said, "Waddler is out of sight, but no matter, we can pretend he's here."
Before the ceremony, the turkeys stayed at the luxurious "Willard InterContinental" hotel in Washington, having been provided for the White House by the National Turkey Federation.
After the event, Gobbler and Waddler will return to North Carolina to live under the care of the Poultry Science Department at North Carolina State University in Raleigh.
Trump appeared in a video addressing the turkey saying, "Are you ready Gobbler?.. I'm going to tell you something very important, I have pardoned you unconditionally," then he reached out to touch the bird's feathers saying, "Who would want to harm such a beautiful bird?"
Trump also made some jokes targeting House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senator Chuck Schumer, saying he thought about naming the turkeys after them, before clarifying: "But I realized I would never grant them a pardon in that case."
The practice of presidential pardoning of turkeys dates back to President Abraham Lincoln, but the modern tradition officially began in 1989 under the administration of George H.W. Bush, after Bush granted one turkey an official pardon to live out the rest of its days on a children's farm, thereby establishing the annual ritual that has become part of American culture, according to the White House Historical Association.
It is customary for the U.S. President to grant "the pardon" to a turkey on Thanksgiving Day, which the United States celebrates on the last Thursday of November every year, thus continuing these annual traditions that have become a symbol of the quirky side of the White House.
The turkey is the centerpiece of the traditional American Thanksgiving table, symbolizing the meal around which Americans usually gather with family and friends, making granting the pardon a symbolic and fun addition to the celebrations.
