Presidential Turkeys Enjoy Luxury Hotel Stay Ahead of Annual Pardoning Ceremony
Andrea Hanks/The White House
They’ve arrived!
Willard InterContinental Hotel in Washington, D.C. rolled out the red carpet for Corn and Cob, two Broad-Breasted White turkeys, over the weekend.
After arriving via chauffeured car and walking a red carpet, the feathered duo was escorted to their suite, where they promptly jumped on their beds.
The two so-called "VITs"—Very Important Turkeys—are living it up at the glitzy hotel before their media debut on Tuesday, where President Trump is set to pardon them in the annual White House Turkey Pardon.
This year’s two National Thanksgiving Turkey contestants have arrived in Washington, D.C., where they will reside at The Willard until the annual White House Turkey Pardon on Tuesday! 🦃 pic.twitter.com/xbCEpo9VIj
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) November 23, 2020
Corn and Cob were raised by Ron Kardel, National Turkey Federation Chairman and a sixth-generation turkey, corn, and soybean farmer from Walcott, Iowa. After Tuesday’s pardoning ceremony at the White House, both turkeys will retire to their new home on the campus of Iowa State University, according to the White House.
WATCH: 2020 Made Its Mark on the Turkey Business: What Southerners Need to Know This Thanksgiving
2020 Made Its Mark on the Turkey Business: What Southerners Need to Know This Thanksgiving
We’re predicting a banner year for leftovers.
"I think this event is great today because lord knows 2020's been a real challenge," Kardel told the Des Moines Register. "I think it's great to celebrate something that's happy, something that's for everybody, something that's for all of America."
The National Turkey Federation has presented a turkey at the White House every Thanksgiving since 1947. The first official turkey pardoning was done in 1989 by President George H.W. Bush. Congratulations, Corn and Cob! May you live to gobble for many more years.
