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President Biden granted a pardon to turkeys as a tradition before Thanksgiving, marking the last time he will do so during his presidency. Putting politics aside, he took the opportunity during the light-hearted ceremony to express gratitude to the nation for allowing him to serve as president.
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President Biden has pardoned two turkeys in a ceremony at the White House, expressing thanks for his time as commander in chief. He mentioned past turkeys he has pardoned and announced that this year’s turkeys, Peach and Blossom, will also be pardoned. This event signifies the beginning of the holiday season in Washington and is Biden’s final time speaking as president during this season. He expressed gratitude for his time in office and thanked the American people.
Written by Zach Montague
Delivering news updates
President Biden made an appearance on Monday that lasted eight minutes to officially pardon two Thanksgiving turkeys. He acknowledged the long-standing 77-year-old tradition and took a brief moment to express gratitude to the country.
The short speech featured a few jokes and remarks, acknowledging Peach and Blossom, two large birds weighing over 40 pounds each, named after Delaware’s peach blossoms, which are the official flower of President Biden’s state.
The president stood next to Peach, a turkey whose loud noises could be heard on the microphone, often interrupting Mr. Biden’s speech and causing laughter among the audience.
The president mentioned that Peach is making a final request at this moment.
Mr. Biden shared with the crowd on the South Lawn of the White House that his motto is to remain calm and enjoy eating, all while wearing his trademark aviator sunglasses and listing the names of the turkeys he has pardoned during his four years in office.
The president changed his attitude to a more somber one to recognize the sad truth that the holiday season signaled the conclusion of his time as president, and potentially the end of his career in public service that spanned over 50 years.
"This will be my final speech as your president for this season, and I want to express my appreciation and thankfulness," stated Mr. Biden. "I want to let you know that serving as president has been the greatest honor of my life. I will always be thankful."
On Monday, the president and first lady had plans to continue a tradition by serving food to friends celebrating the holiday together. This year, they were with members of the Coast Guard and their families on Staten Island. During this event, President Biden took a moment to honor those who have experienced the loss of family members, specifically mentioning his son Beau who passed away from brain cancer in 2015.
He expressed the idea of taking a break from our hectic schedules to prioritize our families in this moment.
Before taking photos with Peach at the ceremony, President-elect Donald J. Trump’s upcoming inauguration in two months indicated a potential upheaval of the norms and traditions that President Biden valued. Despite the uncertainty in Washington, President Biden left a straightforward and non-political message for attendees to consider.
He expressed that in America, we always persevere and never give up. He emphasized the importance of continuing on and maintaining faith.
Zach Montague is a journalist for The Times who reports on the U.S. Department of Education, the White House, and federal courts. You can find out more about Zach Montague by checking out his profile.
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