Trump Pardons Thanksgiving Turkeys, Can’t Resist Making Joke About Obama at the Same Time

President Donald Trump on Tuesday continued the presidential tradition of pardoning a turkey ahead of Thanksgiving, granting a reprieve to a bird named Drumstick and landing a jab against his predecessor in the process.

“I’m pleased to report that unlike millions of other turkeys at this time of year, Drumstick has a very, very bright future ahead of him,” he said.

The lighthearted ceremony at the White House Rose Garden included a joke at the expense of his predecessor, according to NBC News.

Trump began by explaining what will become of Drumstick and an alternate who will also be spared the dinner table on Thursday, Wishbone.

“Upon being pardoned, Drumstick and his friend Wishbone will live out their days at Gobblers Rest, beautiful place,” he said. “It’s custom built, it’s an enclosure on the campus of Virginia Tech.”

At that exhibit, Trump said the birds will “join Tater and Tot, the two turkeys pardoned last year by President Obama.”

Pivoting to the previous administration, Trump noted that he has been “very active in overturning a number of the executive actions” enforced during the Obama administration.

That pattern, however, will not extend to the poultry pardons, Mediaite reported.

“I have been informed by the White House counsel’s office that Tater and Tot’s pardons cannot under any circumstance be revoked.”

Trump concluded that the turkeys spared a year ago can “rest easy” under a new administration.

As The Western Journal reported, Drumstick and Wishbone were nominated for the pardon by Carl Wittenburg, whose family raised them.

Ahead of the ceremony, he explained some of the characteristics that made them stand out among the roughly 80 birds in their flock.

Wittenburg said he paid attention to “their character, their temperament, their showmanship and how they looked strutting their stuff.”

Most important, he added, is the bird’s ability to “handle the show.”

The White House posted a Twitter poll seeking the public’s input on which turkey Trump chose for the pardon.

Drumstick, who won the survey despite Wishbone’s last-minute public appearance at the White House briefing room Tuesday, behaved admirably during the ceremony. Trump also gave himself high marks.

“I feel so good about myself doing this,” he said before issuing the pardon. (For more from the author of “Trump Pardons Thanksgiving Turkeys, Can’t Resist Making Joke About Obama at the Same Time” please click HERE)

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