Biden’s Unusual Birthday Plans: Pardoning Thanksgiving Turkeys

President Biden will spend his 81st birthday at the White House Monday granting pardons to Liberty and Bell — two turkeys who would’ve otherwise been someone’s Thanksgiving dinner Thursday. The ceremony will take place on the South Lawn. It’s unclear when the tradition of presidents granting clemency to turkeys began. The White House Historical Association claims the first recorded presidential pardon was Abraham Lincoln’s alleged 1863 sparing of a holiday bird. This year marks the 76th anniversary of the National Thanksgiving Turkey presentation.Liberty and Bell met the public Sunday during during an event at the Willard Intercontinental Hotel, where they spent the weekend. The “Minnesota nice” fowl were raised in Wilmar, Minn. and enjoy the music of Prince and Taylor Swift, according to Jennie-0 Turkey Store CEO Steve Lykken. Minnesota’s Star Tribune describes the gobblers as “white-feathered, blue-purple-headed turkeys.”They are scheduled to meet Biden at 11:15 a.m. where the president will “reflect upon the time-honored traditions of Thanksgiving, and wish American families a safe and healthy holiday,” according to the White House. The 42-pound birds were chauffeured from Minnesota, which is where they’ll live out the remainders of their days at the University of Minnesota’s College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resources Sciences. Last year, Biden granted clemency to a North Carolina bird named Chocolate. He previously pardoned two turkeys from Indiana named Peanut Butter and Jelly.The White House will also be preparing for Christmas Monday when first lady Jill Biden receives a 19-foot tree to be displayed in the Blue Room. It’s arriving from North Carolina at 3 p.m. With News Wire Services