Barack Obama pardons Thanksgiving turkey (no, not Donald Trump) for last time as President

Barack Obama has saved two turkeys from the Thanksgiving dinner table for the last time as President.

The outgoing President spared the birds in the time-honoured tradition of pardoning the National Thanksgiving Turkey and its alternate in the Rose Garden of the White House.

Tater and Tot, two 18-week old, 40lb turkeys raised in Northwest Iowa, were spared from being dressed and turned into a feast on Thursday.

Instead, the lucky cluckers will live out the rest of their lives at Virginia Tech university.
The turkeys were given their monikers by Iowa schoolchildren following a naming competition.

Obama, who was joined by his two nephews, had fun with his choice of words in this year's 69th anniversary of the National Thanksgiving Turkey presentation.
He joked: "I want to take a moment to recognise the brave turkeys, 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 then took a more serious tone with the American public as he fulfilled some of his last duties before transitioning the US Presidency to President-elect Donald Trump on January 20.
"Let me just say one last thing before I spare these turkeys lives.

"On this Thanksgiving, I want to express my sincere gratitude to the American people for the trust that you've placed in me over these last eight years and the incredible kindness you've shown my family.
"On behalf of Michelle and my mother-in-law and my girls, we want to thank you so very very much."

Turkeys Tater and Tot will spend the remainder of their lives being cared for by the Virginia Tech's Animal and Poultry Sciences Department in a newly created exhibit called "Gobblers Rest."