Current:Home > MyBiden pardons turkeys "Liberty" and "Bell" in annual Thanksgiving ceremony -Secure Growth Academy
Biden pardons turkeys "Liberty" and "Bell" in annual Thanksgiving ceremony
View
Date:2025-04-16 08:37:33
President Biden pardoned two lucky turkeys Monday to mark the 76th anniversary of the National Thanksgiving Turkey Ceremony, one of the time-honored, albeit quirky, White House traditions.
"I hereby pardon Liberty and Bell! Alright," the president said, to applause. "Congratulations, birds! Congratulations."
Liberty and Bell have been staying in a room at the luxurious Willard InterContinental hotel near the White House, as is custom, and hail from Willmar, Minnesota.
"These birds have a new appreciation of the word, 'let freedom ring,'" Mr. Biden said.
This year's turkey pardon ceremony happens to fall on Mr. Biden's 81st birthday. The president doesn't have any other plans on his public schedule.
"I just want you to know it's difficult turning 60," the president joked, adding that he wasn't present for the first turkey pardoning event.
On a more serious note, the president took a moment to remember former first lady Rosalynn Carter, who died Sunday at the age of 96.
"This week, we'll gather with the people we love and the traditions that each of us have built up in our own families," Mr. Biden said. "We'll also think about the loved ones we've lost, including just yesterday when we lost former first lady Rosalynn Carter, who walked her own path, inspiring a nation and the world along the way. And let's remind ourselves that we're blessed to live in the greatest nation on this face of the earth."
The origin of the presidential turkey pardon ceremony is a bit murky. President Harry Truman was the first president to hold a photo-op at the White House with a turkey he received from the National Turkey Federation and the Poultry and Egg National Board. The White House says Truman began the tradition, but that's a claim the Truman Library and Museum has disputed. It's also possible the ritual began with President Abraham Lincoln after his son urged his father to spare the bird they had planned to eat for Christmas.
This year's turkeys were sent to the White House from the Jennie-O Turkey Store, and were hatched in July.
Jennie-O says the turkeys have been "receiving the five-star treatment befitting turkeys of their stature."
The 2023 National Thanksgiving Turkeys made the journey from Minnesota to Washington, D.C., receiving the five-star treatment befitting turkeys of their stature. The Turkeys were driven in their own personal vehicle and will stay nearby their visit to the White House.#Turkey pic.twitter.com/93BjTBWdiB
— Jennie-O (@Jennieo) November 18, 2023
Liberty and Bell will retire to a University of Minnesota farm in the Twin Cities.
Kathryn WatsonKathryn Watson is a politics reporter for CBS News Digital based in Washington, D.C.
veryGood! (6475)
Related
- Trump invites nearly all federal workers to quit now, get paid through September
- Army utilizes a different kind of boot camp to bolster recruiting numbers
- Army utilizes a different kind of boot camp to bolster recruiting numbers
- Puerto Rico Considers 100% Renewable Energy, But Natural Gas May Come First
- Intel's stock did something it hasn't done since 2022
- Judge made lip-synching TikTok videos at work with graphic sexual references and racist terms, complaint alleges
- How Britney Spears and Sam Asghari Are Celebrating Their Wedding Anniversary
- Thousands of Low-Income Residents in Flooded Port Arthur Suffer Slow FEMA Aid
- Highlights from Trump’s interview with Time magazine
- Warming Trends: The ‘Cranky Uncle’ Game, Good News About Bowheads and Steps to a Speedier Energy Transition
Ranking
- Who's hosting 'Saturday Night Live' tonight? Musical guest, how to watch Dec. 14 episode
- What does a hot dog eating contest do to your stomach? Experts detail the health effects of competitive eating.
- Jon Gosselin Addresses 9-Year Estrangement From Kids Mady and Cara
- Joey Chestnut remains hot dog eating champ. Here's how many calories he consumed during the event.
- Are Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp down? Meta says most issues resolved after outages
- Despite soaring prices, flexible travelers can find budget-friendly ways to enjoy summer getaways
- In a Warming World, Hurricanes Weaken More Slowly After They Hit Land
- July Fourth hot dog eating contest men's competition won by Joey Chestnut with 62 hot dogs and buns
Recommendation
Which apps offer encrypted messaging? How to switch and what to know after feds’ warning
Warming Trends: The ‘Cranky Uncle’ Game, Good News About Bowheads and Steps to a Speedier Energy Transition
1 person shot during Fourth of July fireworks at Camden, N.J. waterfront
All-transgender and nonbinary hockey team offers players a found family on ice
Most popular books of the week: See what topped USA TODAY's bestselling books list
Top Oil Industry Group Disputes African-American Health Study, Cites Genetics
The Supreme Court Sidesteps a Full Climate Change Ruling, Handing Industry a Procedural Win
NASCAR contractor electrocuted to death while setting up course for Chicago Street Race