Obama pardons turkeys as part of annual rite

President Obama, with daughters Sasha, second from left, and Malia, right, carries on the Thanksgiving tradition of saving Popcorn the turkey from the dinner table with a "presidential pardon," at the White House today John Burkel, current chairman of the National Turkey Federation in Badger, Minn, stands at left.

WASHINGTON — President Obama has spared two turkeys from the brine and the oven, fulfilling the annual tradition of a presidential pardon for a couple of lucky birds ahead of Thanksgiving Day.

Obama pardoned Popcorn, who shared the stage with the president on the North Portico of the White House on a cold drizzly day. An alternate turkey, named Caramel, also received a pardon, though it did not have the benefit of a face-to-beak meeting with the president.

Obama said presidents have many awesome and solemn responsibilities. “This is not one of them,” he says.

Popcorn and Caramel are 38-pound turkeys from Badger , Minn.

The turkeys will be on display at George Washington’s Mount Vernon Estate and Gardens through Jan. 6