{"id":18834,"date":"2024-11-25T19:04:11","date_gmt":"2024-11-25T19:04:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gpt.m2mbeta.com\/?p=18834"},"modified":"2024-11-25T19:04:11","modified_gmt":"2024-11-25T19:04:11","slug":"watch-biden-continues-white-house-turkey-tradition","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gpt.m2mbeta.com\/?p=18834","title":{"rendered":"WATCH: Biden continues White House turkey tradition"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>WASHINGTON (AP) \u2014 President Joe Biden kicked off his final holiday season at the White House on Monday by issuing\u2026<\/p>\n<div id=\"Entry-content\">\n<div class=\"Before-content\">\n                        <center><iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"760\" height=\"515\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/p2A5uGKSkdQ?si=9_7wX-XHrAsUcFau\" title=\"YouTube video player\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen=\"\"><\/iframe><\/center>\n                    <\/div>\n<p>WASHINGTON (AP) \u2014 President <a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/hub\/joe-biden\">Joe Biden<\/a> kicked off his final holiday season at the White House on Monday by issuing the traditional reprieve to two turkeys who will bypass the Thanksgiving table to live out their days in southern Minnesota. <\/p>\n<p>The 82-year-old president welcomed 2,500 guests to the South Lawn under sunny skies as he cracked jokes about the fates of \u201cPeach\u201d and \u201cBlossom\u201d and sounded wistful tones about the last weeks of his presidency after a half-century in Washington power circles. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s been the honor of my life. I\u2019m forever grateful,\u201d Biden said, taking note of his impending departure on Jan. 20, 2025. That\u2019s when power will transfer to Republican President-elect Donald Trump, the man that Biden defeated four years ago and was battling again until he was pressured <a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/biden-drops-out-2024-election-ddffde72838370032bdcff946cfc2ce6\">to bow out of the race<\/a> amid concerns about his age and viability. <\/p>\n<p>Until Inauguration Day, the president and first lady <a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/hub\/jill-biden\">Jill Biden<\/a> will continue a busy run of festivities that will double as their long goodbye. The White House schedule in December is replete with holiday parties for various constituencies, from West Wing staff to members of Congress and the White House press corps.<\/p>\n<p>Biden relished the brief ceremony with the pardoned turkeys, named for the official flower of the president\u2019s home state of Delaware. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe peach pie in my state is one of my favorites,\u201d he said during remarks that were occasionally interrupted by Peach gobbling atop the table to Biden\u2019s right. \u201cPeach is making a last-minute plea,\u201d Biden said at one point, drawing laughter from an overflow crowd that included Cabinet members, White House staff and their families, and students from 4H programs and Future Farmers of America chapters. <\/p>\n<p>Biden introduced Peach as a bird who \u201clives by the motto, \u2018Keep calm and gobble on.\u2019\u201d Blossom, the president said, has a different motto: \u201cNo fowl play. Just Minnesota nice.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Peach and Blossom came from the farm of John Zimmerman, near the southern Minnesota city of Northfield. Zimmerman, who has raised about 4 million turkeys, is president of the National Turkey Federation, the group that has gifted U.S. presidents Thanksgiving turkeys since the Truman administration after World War II. President Harry Truman, however, preferred to eat the birds. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.whitehousehistory.org\/pardoning-the-thanksgiving-turkey\">Official pardon ceremonies<\/a> did not become an annual White House tradition until the administration of President George H.W. Bush in 1989. <\/p>\n<p>With their presidential reprieve, Peach and Blossom will live out their days at Farmamerica, an agriculture interpretative center near Waseca in southern Minnesota. The center\u2019s aim is to promote agriculture and educate future farmers and others about agriculture in America. <\/p>\n<p>Later Monday, first lady <a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/hub\/jill-biden\">Jill Biden<\/a> will receive delivery of the official White House Christmas tree that will be on display in the Blue Room. Then the Bidens will travel to New York City for an evening \u201cFriendsgiving\u201d event at a Coast Guard station on Staten Island. <\/p>\n<p>Biden began his valedictory calendar Friday night with a gala for hundreds of his friends, supporters and staff members who gathered in a pavilion erected on the South Lawn, with a view out to the Lincoln Memorial.<\/p>\n<p>Cabinet secretaries, Democratic donors and his longest-serving staff members came together to hear from the president and pay tribute, with no evidence that Biden was effectively forced from the Democratic ticket this summer and watched Vice President <a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/hub\/kamala-harris\">Kamala Harris<\/a> suffer defeat on Nov. 5.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m so proud that we\u2019ve done all of this with a deep belief in the core values of America,\u201d said Biden, sporting a tuxedo for the black-tie event. Setting aside his criticisms of Trump as a fundamental threat to democracy, Biden added his characteristic national cheerleading: \u201cI fully believe that America is better positioned to lead the world today than at any point in my 50 years of public service.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The first lady toasted her husband with a nod to his 2020 campaign promise to \u201crestore the soul of the nation,\u201d in Trump\u2019s aftermath. With the results on Election Day, however, Biden\u2019s four years now become sandwiched in the middle of an era dominated by Trump\u2019s presence on the national stage and in the White House. <\/p>\n<p>Even as the first couple avoided the context surrounding the president\u2019s coming exit, those political realities were nonetheless apparent, as younger Democrats like Maryland Gov. <a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/hub\/wes-moore\">Wes Moore<\/a>, Illinois Gov. <a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/hub\/j-b-pritzker\">J.B. Pritzker<\/a> and Biden\u2019s Secretary of Transportation <a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/hub\/pete-buttigieg\">Pete Buttigieg<\/a> not only raised their glasses to the president but held forth with many attendees who could remain in the party\u2019s power circles in the 2028 election cycle and beyond. <\/p>\n<p>___ Associated Press reporters Darlene Superville in Washington and Steve Karnowski in Minneapolis contributed. <\/p>\n<p>Copyright<br \/>\n                        \u00a9\u00a02024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.<\/p>\n<div class=\"after-content After-content\">\n<div class=\"gallerySlider Entry-gallery\">\n<div class=\"gallerySlider--for-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"gallerySlider-for\">\n<figure>\n                                                    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/wtop.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/Biden_White_House_Holidays_52113-1880x1254.jpg\" alt=\"\"\/><figcaption>\n                              <strong>Biden White House Holidays<\/strong> President Joe Biden is pictured after pardoning the national Thanksgiving turkey, Peach, during a ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, Monday, Nov. 25, 2024. (AP Photo\/Mark Schiefelbein)                            <\/figcaption><p>\n                                AP Photo\/Mark Schiefelbein                            <\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<figure>\n                                                    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/wtop.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/Biden_White_House_Holidays_36572-1880x1254.jpg\" alt=\"\"\/><figcaption>\n                              <strong>Biden White House Holidays<\/strong> Beau Biden, grandson of President Joe Biden, is pictured with the national Thanksgiving turkeys, Peach and Blossom, after a pardoning ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, Monday, Nov. 25, 2024. (AP Photo\/Mark Schiefelbein)                            <\/figcaption><p>\n                                AP Photo\/Mark Schiefelbein                            <\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<figure>\n                                                    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/wtop.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/Biden_White_House_Holidays_77621-1880x1254.jpg\" alt=\"\"\/><figcaption>\n                              <strong>Biden White House Holidays<\/strong> The national Thanksgiving turkeys Peach and Blossom are pictured before a pardoning ceremony with President Joe Biden on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, Monday, Nov. 25, 2024. (AP Photo\/Mark Schiefelbein)                            <\/figcaption><p>\n                                AP Photo\/Mark Schiefelbein                            <\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<figure>\n                                                    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/wtop.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/Biden_White_House_Holidays_69753-1880x1254.jpg\" alt=\"\"\/><figcaption>\n                              <strong>APTOPIX Biden White House Holidays<\/strong> President Joe Biden, right, stands with John Zimmerman, left, chair of the National Turkey Federation, his son Grant Zimmerman, center, and the national Thanksgiving turkey, Peach, during a pardoning ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, Monday, Nov. 25, 2024. (AP Photo\/Susan Walsh)                            <\/figcaption><p>\n                                AP Photo\/Susan Walsh                            <\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<figure>\n                                                    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/wtop.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/Biden_White_House_Holidays_28999-1880x1254.jpg\" alt=\"\"\/><figcaption>\n                              <strong>Biden White House Holidays<\/strong> President Joe Biden stands with one of the national Thanksgiving turkeys, Peach, during a pardoning ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, Monday, Nov. 25, 2024. (AP Photo\/Mark Schiefelbein)                            <\/figcaption><p>\n                                AP Photo\/Mark Schiefelbein                            <\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<figure>\n                                                    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/wtop.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/Biden_White_House_Holidays_70007-1880x1254.jpg\" alt=\"\"\/><figcaption>\n                              <strong>Biden White House Holidays<\/strong> Beau Biden, left, looks at Peach, the national Thanksgiving turkey who was pardoned by President Joe Biden, during a ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, Monday, Nov. 25, 2024. Grant Zimmerman, son of John Zimmerman, chair of the National Turkey Federation, watches at right. (AP Photo\/Susan Walsh)                            <\/figcaption><p>\n                                AP Photo\/Susan Walsh                            <\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<figure>\n                                                    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/wtop.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/Biden_White_House_Holidays_57833.jpg\" alt=\"\"\/><figcaption>\n                              <strong>Biden White House Holidays<\/strong> President Joe Biden pardons one of the national Thanksgiving turkeys, Peach, during a ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, Monday, Nov. 25, 2024. (AP Photo\/Mark Schiefelbein)                            <\/figcaption><p>\n                                AP Photo\/Mark Schiefelbein                            <\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<figure>\n                                                    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/wtop.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/Biden_White_House_Holidays_79764-1880x1254.jpg\" alt=\"\"\/><figcaption>\n                              <strong>Biden White House Holidays<\/strong> President Joe Biden is pictured with John Zimmerman, chair of the National Turkey Federation, from left, and Zimmerman&#8217;s son Grant, after pardoning the national Thanksgiving turkey Peach during a ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, Monday, Nov. 25, 2024. (AP Photo\/Mark Schiefelbein)                            <\/figcaption><p>\n                                AP Photo\/Mark Schiefelbein                            <\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<figure>\n                                                    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/wtop.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/Biden_White_House_Holidays_26565-1880x1254.jpg\" alt=\"\"\/><figcaption>\n                              <strong>Biden White House Holidays<\/strong> Beau Biden, grandson of President Joe Biden, is pictured with the national Thanksgiving turkeys, Peach and Blossom, after a pardoning ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, Monday, Nov. 25, 2024. (AP Photo\/Mark Schiefelbein)                            <\/figcaption><p>\n                                AP Photo\/Mark Schiefelbein                            <\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<figure>\n                                                    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/wtop.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/Biden_White_House_Holidays_99127-1880x1254.jpg\" alt=\"\"\/><figcaption>\n                              <strong>Biden White House Holidays<\/strong> President Joe Biden speaks and pardons the national Thanksgiving turkey, Peach, during a pardoning ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, Monday, Nov. 25, 2024, as John Zimmerman, chair of the National Turkey Federation and his son Grant, look on. (AP Photo\/Susan Walsh)                            <\/figcaption><p>\n                                AP Photo\/Susan Walsh                            <\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<figure>\n                                                    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/wtop.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/Biden_White_House_Holidays_73773-1880x1254.jpg\" alt=\"\"\/><figcaption>\n                              <strong>Biden White House Holidays<\/strong> President Joe Biden speaks after pardoning the national Thanksgiving turkey, Peach, during a ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, Monday, Nov. 25, 2024. (AP Photo\/Mark Schiefelbein)                            <\/figcaption><p>\n                                AP Photo\/Mark Schiefelbein                            <\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<figure>\n                                                    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/wtop.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/Biden_White_House_Holidays_21232-1880x1254.jpg\" alt=\"\"\/><figcaption>\n                              <strong>Biden White House Holidays<\/strong> President Joe Biden, center right, departs with his grandson Beau Biden after pardoning the national Thanksgiving turkeys during a ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, Monday, Nov. 25, 2024. (AP Photo\/Mark Schiefelbein)                            <\/figcaption><p>\n                                AP Photo\/Mark Schiefelbein                            <\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<figure>\n                                                    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/wtop.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/Biden_White_House_Holidays_57417-1880x1254.jpg\" alt=\"\"\/><figcaption>\n                              <strong>Biden White House Holidays<\/strong> President Joe Biden, center right, departs with his grandson Beau Biden after pardoning the national Thanksgiving turkeys during a ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, Monday, Nov. 25, 2024. (AP Photo\/Mark Schiefelbein)                            <\/figcaption><p>\n                                AP Photo\/Mark Schiefelbein                            <\/p>\n<\/figure><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/p>\n<hr style=\"border-top: 2px solid #ccc; margin-top: 20px;\">\n<p><em>Source: <\/em> <em><a href=\"https:\/\/politics.einnews.com\/article\/763677739\/sUhW0Fh_mREz0q4-?ref=rss&amp;ecode=kmfm9fDbRbj4OPCJ\">politics.einnews.com\u2026<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>WASHINGTON (AP) \u2014 President Joe Biden kicked off his final holiday season at the White House on Monday by issuing\u2026 WASHINGTON (AP) \u2014 President Joe Biden kicked off his final holiday season at the White House on Monday by issuing the traditional reprieve to two turkeys who will bypass the Thanksgiving table to live out [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-18834","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/gpt.m2mbeta.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18834","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/gpt.m2mbeta.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/gpt.m2mbeta.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gpt.m2mbeta.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gpt.m2mbeta.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=18834"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/gpt.m2mbeta.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18834\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/gpt.m2mbeta.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=18834"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gpt.m2mbeta.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=18834"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gpt.m2mbeta.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=18834"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}