President Barack Obama pardoned two turkeys, Popcorn and his alternate Caramel, as part of the Thanksgiving tradition.
After being pardoned, both turkeys were later taken to historic Mount Vernon where they will stay until the holidays are over, BBC News reports. Obama quipped that pardoning turkeys for Thanksgiving is not one of his "awesome and solemn responsibilities" given to him as president.
The president also said to the two turkeys during the traditional ceremony, "I salute our two guests of honor... for their bravery."
The Washington Post noted that the turkeys spent their time in the $400 a night Willard Intercontinental room.
The turkeys were raised, along with nearly 10,000 others, on the National Turkey Federation President John Burkel's farm. The NTF president is tasked with providing the turkeys for the yearly event. The rest are naturally sold for Thanksgiving dinners.
The ceremony brings guests and journalists, who liked to ask questions about the turkey. One asked if the turkeys had distinct personalities, but Burkel said they didn't when in a flock.
Popcorn and Caramel were competing via social media to see which one would be pardoned, one way was to vote using either Twitter hastag #TeamPopcorn or #TeamCaramel, though neither turkey was at risk for anything other than being labeled the alternate.
image: Wikimedia Commons
