--- title: President Obama: Read the Transcript From the Turkey Pardon description: Read the transcript of President Barack Obama's turkey-themed puns and jokes from his final Thanksgiving pardon ceremony on Wednesday canonical: https://time.com/4581815/president-obama-turkey-puns-thanksgiving-pardon/ author: Katie Reilly article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2016-11-23T21:47:24.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-10-07T06:54:58.776Z article:section: Politics og:title: Read President Obama's Final 'Dad Jokes About Turkeys' at Thanksgiving Pardon og:description: "That's worth gobbling about" og:url: https://time.com/4581815/president-obama-turkey-puns-thanksgiving-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: Read President Obama's Final 'Dad Jokes About Turkeys' at Thanksgiving Pardon twitter:description: "That's worth gobbling about" 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 ---  # Read President Obama's Final 'Dad Jokes About Turkeys' From the Thanksgiving Pardon > 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=6377f2be-6ddc-45b7-a3c5-b3a74c76ca24&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 9:47 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 9:47 PM UTC President Barack Obama on Wednesday [pardoned turkeys Tater and Tot](http://time.com/4581781/president-obama-thanksgiving-turkey-pardon/), delivering a series of fowl-themed jokes during his final [presidential pardon ceremony](http://time.com/4575217/presidential-turkey-pardon/). “For the past seven years, I’ve [established another tradition](http://time.com/4127536/live-president-obama-pardons-a-turkey/), embarrassing my daughters with a corny-copia of dad jokes about turkeys,” said Obama, who brought his two nephews with him this year. Even without Sasha and Malia, who “just couldn’t take my jokes anymore,” Obama kept up the tradition of Thanksgiving puns. “Look, I know there’s some bad ones in here, but this is the last time I’m doing this, so we’re not leaving any room for leftovers,” he said. Read his full remarks here: --- > “” --- ## 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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