Barack Obama has carried out 'one of the most important duties' he has as President of the United States -- the pardoning of the National Thanksgiving Turkeys.
Accompanied by daughters Sasha and Malia, Obama said by pardoning the birds he had stopped what he called a second "shellacking" in one month.
"Today, I have the awesome responsibility of granting a presidential pardon to a pair of turkeys. Now, for the record, let me say that it feels pretty good to stop at least one shellacking this November," he said.
The president was referring to the drubbing his Democratic Party received at the hands of Republicans in the November 2 legislative elections.
The turkeys, named Apple and Cider, were among 25 finalists chosen from some 20,000 turkeys born at a farm in Modesto, California. Apple and Cider will live out their days at Mount Vernon, home of our nation's first President George Washington.
"As president of the United States, you are hereby pardoned from the Thanksgiving dinner table," Obama said, looking at the animals. "May you have a wonderful and joyful life at Mount Vernon."
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