President Obama Pardons Thanksgiving Turkeys One Last Time

WASHINGTON, DC — Two turkeys named Tater and Tot can breathe easy this Thanksgiving, as they were given a presidential pardon the day before. For one final time on Wednesday, President Barack Obama used his pardoning powers to get the two lucky birds off the Thursday dinner list.

In addition, Tot was named the National Thanksgiving Turkey via a vote on social media, and the White House announced his selection Wednesday afternoon.

Tot-ally pleased to announce the people’s choice for the 2016 National #Thanksgiving Turkey: #TeamTot! #WHTurkeyPardon pic.twitter.com/BPezrzrQah
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) November 23, 2016

The presidential turkey pardon has been a Thanksgiving tradition since 1947, when the chairman of the National Turkey Federation first presented a turkey to President Harry Truman -- although the Truman Library indicates he may not have actually pardoned it, and presidents who came after often didn't. Ronald Reagan was the first president to officially issue a pardon in 1987.

Tater and Tot will be sent to Virginia Tech where veterinarians and students will care for them at "Gobbler's Rest."

"Tomorrow is one of the best days of the year to be an American. It’s a day to count our blessings, spend time with the ones we love, and enjoy some good food and some great company," Obama said in a statement. "But it’s also one of the worst days of the year to be a turkey. They don’t have it so good."

• More at Patch: First Turkey Pardoned by President Obama Dies at Seven

Tater and Tot are both male. Tater is an 18-week-old turkey who weighs in at 40 pounds, 2 ounces. Tot is also 18 weeks old and is 39 pounds, 8 ounces.

Obama started a new tradition in 2009 by pardoning not one but two turkeys for the first time, and he has done so in all of his eight years in office.

Image via the White House