Joe Biden Pardons Turkeys Named 'Chocolate' and 'Chip' in Annual White House Tradition
In an annual pre-holiday tradition, President Joe Biden on Monday pardoned a pair of lucky birds during the National Thanksgiving Turkey presentation.
In a ceremony on the South Lawn, Biden celebrated the 75th anniversary of the presentation, saying that the two birds — named Chocolate and Chip, a nod to the president's favorite flavor of ice cream — would get a free pass due to their being "productive members of society."
Noting the chilly weather, Biden said he would keep his remarks at the event short, adding, "Nobody likes it when their turkey gets cold."
"Before I gobble up too much time, the votes are in," Biden continued, making a nod to the recent midterm elections. "They've been counted, verified. There's no ballot stuffing. There's no 'fowl' play. The only red wave this season is gonna be German shepherd Commander knocks over the cranberry sauce on the table."
The president then welcomed the 2022 national Thanksgiving turkeys, introducing a crowd to Chocolate and Chip.
"Chocolate weighs 46 pounds and I'm told he loves catching sun on the Outer Banks," the president said. "Chip weighs 47 and he loves barbecue and basketball, I'm told."
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After receiving their presidential pardons, the two turkeys will head to North Carolina State, which Biden said has "one of the nation's best poultry science departments in the country."
While two turkeys come to the nation's capital every year for the ceremony, only one typically is pardoned. This year, both Chocolate and Chip lucked out after having made the journey from a farm in Monroe, North Carolina, to Washington.
"And now, based on their temperament and commitment to being productive members of society, I hereby pardon Chocolate and Chip," Biden said.
As Chocolate was hoisted onto a table, Biden offered the bird a pat, saying, "Chocolate, you are pardoned."
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RELATED: President Joe Biden Pardons Turkeys Named Peanut Butter and Jelly at White House Rose Garden
Last year, Biden pardoned his first pair of turkeys — two birds named Peanut Butter and Jelly that weighed 40 lbs. each.
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The history of the turkey pardon dates back to 1863 and President Abraham Lincoln, according to White House history. George H.W. Bush was the first to formally pardon a turkey in 1989 during a White House ceremony.
