--- title: President Obama Pardons Last Thanksgiving Turkey description: President Barack Obama pardoned the last Thanksgiving turkey of his presidential term, granting freedom to Tot and his "vice-turkey," Tater canonical: https://time.com/4581781/president-obama-thanksgiving-turkey-pardon/ author: Katie Reilly article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2016-11-23T20:43:29.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-10-07T06:54:58.330Z article:section: Politics og:title: President Obama Pardons Turkeys Tater and Tot for Thanksgiving og:description: But he plans to continue making turkey-themed jokes for Sasha and Malia og:url: https://time.com/4581781/president-obama-thanksgiving-turkey-pardon/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt4e0f14b61cf4a043/6988afa8cd1bba0ea970335f/barack-obama-turkey-pardon.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 3000 og:image:height: 1688 og:image:alt: President Obama Pardons National Thanksgiving Turkey og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: President Obama Pardons Turkeys Tater and Tot for Thanksgiving twitter:description: But he plans to continue making turkey-themed jokes for Sasha and Malia twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt4e0f14b61cf4a043/6988afa8cd1bba0ea970335f/barack-obama-turkey-pardon.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # President Obama Pardons Turkeys Tater and Tot for Final White House Thanksgiving > Sponsored content. 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It explains the politics, personalities and power dynamics behind the headlines, twice a week. #### Where can I get analysis of Washington politics by email? D.C. Brief is TIME's free Washington politics newsletter, available at time.com/newsletters. It is written by a TIME senior correspondent who covers the capital full time. #### Who writes TIME's D.C. Brief? Philip Elliott, a senior correspondent at TIME, writes D.C. Brief. #### Is D.C. Brief free? Yes. D.C. Brief is free at time.com/newsletters. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3/newsletters?i=e885090e-6463-4901-a32f-80e027ef85ef&cr=time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3-v1) ## Video: Watch President Obama Pardon His Final Thanksgiving Turkey [Watch (HLS stream): Watch President Obama Pardon His Final Thanksgiving Turkey](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/ZympRIMY.m3u8) (2:13)  _Published 2016-11-23. Last year, he pardoned two twin male turkeys named Honest and Abe_  by [Katie Reilly](https://time.com/author/katie-reilly/)  ## Katie Reilly Nov 23, 2016 8:43 PM UTC Last year, he pardoned two twin male turkeys named Honest and Abe  by [Katie Reilly](https://time.com/author/katie-reilly/)  ## Katie Reilly Nov 23, 2016 8:43 PM UTC President Barack Obama [pardoned the last Thanksgiving turkey](http://time.com/4581643/president-obama-turkey-pardon-watch-live/) of his presidential term, [granting freedom](http://time.com/4575217/presidential-turkey-pardon/) to Tot and his “vice-turkey,” Tater. “It is my great privilege, well it’s my privilege—actually, let’s just say it’s my job—to grant them clemency this afternoon,” Obama said. “As I do, I want to take a moment to recognize the brave turkeys who weren’t so lucky, who didn’t get to ride the gravy train to freedom, who met their fate with courage and sacrifice and proved that they weren’t chicken,” he continued, as a young child cried in the background. “It’s not that bad now, c’mon,” Obama joked. The President was joined by his two nephews, [instead of his daughters](http://time.com/4127536/live-president-obama-pardons-a-turkey/), Malia and Sasha. “This year, they had a scheduling conflict. Actually, they just couldn’t take my jokes anymore,” Obama said. “Malia and Sasha are thankful, by the way, that this is my final presidential turkey pardon. What I haven’t told them yet is that we are going to do this every year from now on. No cameras, just us. Every year. No way I’m cutting this habit cold turkey.” ## Transcript Of course thanksgiving is a family Holiday as much as a national ones. So, for the past seven years, I've established another tradition, embarrassing my daughters with a cornucopia of their jokes about About turkeys. [ LAUGH ] This year, they had a scheduling conflict. [ LAUGH ] Malia and Sasha by the way are thankful that this is my final presidential turkey pardon, what I haven't told them yet is that we are gonna do this every year from now on. [ LAUGH ] No cameras, just us, every year. [ LAUGH ] No way I'm cutting this habit cold turkey. [ APPLAUSE ] Thanksgiving is a chance, [ LAUGH ] To gather with loved ones, reflect on our many blessings and after a long campaign season finally turn our attention from polls to poultry [ LAUGH ] This year, we're honored to be joined by two of the lucky ones, who were raised by the Domino family in Iowa, Tater and Tot. [ APPLAUSE ] [ SOUND ] [ LAUGH ] Now, Tater is here in a backup role just in case Tot can't fulfill his duties. [ LAUGH ] So he's sort of like the vice turkey. And it is my great privilege, well it's my privilege. Actually let's just say it's my job- [ LAUGH ] To grant them clemency this afternoon. As I do, I wanna take a moment to recognize the brave turkeys who weren't so lucky, who didn't get to ride the gravy train to freedom. [ LAUGH ] Who met their fate With courage and sacrifice and proved that they weren't chicken. [ LAUGH ] It's not that bad now come on. [ LAUGH ] Todd I hereby pardon you from the Thanksgiving table, and we hope that you have a wonderful time Gobbler's rest. That was good. Okay. What do you think? Wanna try it? What are ya thinking? No? [ LAUGH ] Come on, come on, come on. Feathers are kinda soft. 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