Biden Issues His First Pardon of His Tenure to Turkey Called Peanut Butter
Biden Issues His First Pardon of His Tenure to Turkey Called Peanut Butter
(Bloomberg) -- President Joe Biden spared a turkey called Peanut Butter from becoming a meal, issuing the first pardon of his tenure.
The Thanksgiving tradition “reminds us to have a little bit of fun,” Biden said Friday during a Rose Garden ceremony at the White House. Peanut Butter and a backup bird, Jelly, which was also pardoned, were raised near Jasper in southwestern Indiana and will live out the rest of their days under the watch of Purdue University’s department of animal sciences.
â Bloomberg Quicktake (@Quicktake) November 19, 2021
“Folks, it’s going to be OK,” Biden said after he mentioned the pandemic and joked about the vaccination status of the birds. “So many of us will be gathering with our loved ones for the first time in a long time.”
Biden’s turkey pardon also has the backdrop of record high prices for the centerpiece for next week’s holiday. Inflation has become the president’s top economic challenge.
The pardon became an annual event under President George H.W. Bush, according to the White House Historical Association. Two birds are typically sent to the White House so there’s a substitute if needed.
“Plus,” said National Turkey Federation spokeswoman Beth Breeding, “they like having a buddy.”
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