Obama And Boehner Jointly Pardon Two Turkeys: Bipartisanship At Its Finest
When President Obama pardons two turkeys on Wednesday morning, he’ll be joined by Speaker of the House John Boehner. Nothing says “Happy Thanksgiving” more than two politicians having a little bipartisan holiday fun with a couple of 50-pound turkeys.
Room service? 50lb turkeys wait for @WhiteHouse pardon @ historic hotel http://t.co/Xw4Kd5Il4U #PresidentialTurkey14 pic.twitter.com/6y0WvUuK7I
— Lori Grisham (@lagrisham) November 25, 2014
USA Today reports that on the morning of November 25, President Obama will head to the Rose Garden where the official turkey pardoning will take place. He will be joined by the First Lady, the couple’s daughters, Malia and Sasha, and Speaker John Boehner.
The Ntnl #Thanksgiving Turkey is rolling in style with the Cooper brothers! See you soon D.C. #PresidentialTurkey14 pic.twitter.com/vgqVkzjiNQ — Cooper Farms (@CooperFarms_) November 24, 2014
The birds hail from Cooper Farm, located in Boehner’s 8th Congressional District in Ohio. The New York Daily News reports that Speaker Boehner “couldn’t be prouder” that the soon-to-be pardoned turkeys are from the state where he was born and raised.
“The Cooper family’s story reminds us that everything we do must be about restoring the American Dream.”
Although there will be two turkeys present at the ceremony, but only one will become the National Thanksgiving Turkey. Much like a beauty pageant, the second turkey will be named an alternate but will also avoid being roasted to death on Thanksgiving.
Listen to the #PresidentialTurkey14 flock gobble along to @kennychesney @CMT https://t.co/pFKw1zMusv
— Hinda Mitchell (@hindamitchell) November 25, 2014
The turkeys have been temporarily named Virgil and Homer by Cole Cooper, who raised the birds at his family’s business, Cooper Farms in Ohio. The First Family will give them their official names on Wednesday and, after they are pardoned, the two gobblers will be transported to their new home — Morven Park in Leesburg, Virginia.
Getting ready for their close-ups #PresidentialTurkey14 pic.twitter.com/9Xt7m6T3Jy — NatlTurkeyFederation (@TurkeyGal) November 25, 2014
Hopefully the two pardoned turkeys will live a long life, but luck may not be on their side. CNN reports that prior to Wednesday’s event, President Obama has pardoned 10 turkeys since he first took office five years ago. Sadly, only one turkey is still alive.
Three of the ten turkeys were euthanized, five died of natural causes and Popcorn, who was pardoned in 2013, died of heatstroke last summer. Other than Virgil and Homer, who will be pardoned the day before Thanksgiving, the only turkey pardoned by Obama who is still alive is Popcorn’s stablemate, Caramel, who was also pardoned last year.
Follow the hashtag #PresidentialTurkey14 on Twitter for the latest updates on the 2014 Presidential Turkey Pardon.
[Images: JP Updates, USA Today]
