President at Pardoning of the Thanksgiving Turkey Remarks

THE PRESIDENT:  Good afternoon, everybody, and happy Thanksgiving.

The office of the presidency -- the most powerful position in the world -- brings with it many awesome and solemn responsibilities.  This is not one of them.  (Laughter.)  But the White House Turkey Pardon is a great tradition.  And I know Malia loves it -- as does Sasha.

Generally speaking, Thanksgiving is a bad day to be a turkey.  Especially at a house with two dogs.  So I salute our two guests of honor -- Caramel and Popcorn -- for their bravery. They came all the way from outside Badger, Minnesota to be with us.  They, like my Chief of Staff, are Vikings fans.  (Laughter.) I’m not sure that they know -- (turkeys gobble) -- uh-oh.  (Laughter.)  See.  I'm not sure they know that that my Bears are heading to Minnesota on Sunday, but in the spirit of Thanksgiving, I'm going to give them a break.  (Laughter.)

We are also excited to have students from Badger High School here.  (Applause.)  Where are you guys?  There they are, right there.  And finally, let me say thank you to John Burkel,  chairman of the National Turkey Federation.  Give him a big round of applause.  (Applause.)

Now, 80 turkeys on John’s farm competed for the chance to make it to the White House, and stay off the Thanksgiving table. It was, quite literally, the hunger games.  (Laughter.)  and then, after weeks of vocal practice and prepping for the cameras, the two tributes, Caramel and Popcorn went head-to-head together for America’s vote as top gobbler.

The competition was stiff, but we can officially declare that Popcorn is the winner -- (applause) -- proving that even a turkey with a funny name can find a place in politics.  (Laughter.)   As for Caramel, he’s sticking around, and he’s already busy raising money for his next campaign.  (Laughter.)
On a more serious note, later today, Michelle, Malia, Sasha, and I will bring a couple less fortunate turkeys to a great organization that works to help out our neighbors here in D.C. who need it most.  And I want to thank Jaindl’s Turkey Farm in Orefield, Pennsylvania, for donating those dressed birds for the fifth year in a row.  This is a reminder that this is a season to not only be thankful for the incredible blessings that we have, but also to remember the neediest and generously serve those who are not as fortunate.

This is a quintessentially American holiday, and during this time we give thanks to our friends and our family, for citizens who show compassion to those in need, and for neighbors who help strangers they’ve never met.  We give thanks for the blessings of freedom and opportunity that previous generations worked so hard to secure for.  And we give thanks for the service and sacrifice of our brave men and women in uniform who serve our nation around the world.

For those of you who are watching, you keep us safe.  You make us proud, and you remind us of our own obligations to build on the work of our predecessors and leave something better for our own kids.

So on behalf of the Obama family, I want to wish everybody a very happy Thanksgiving.  Tomorrow, as we gather with our own friends and family, we’ll count ourselves lucky that there’s more to be thankful for than we can ever say, and more to be hopeful for than we can ever imagine.

And now, before these turkeys get away -- with the power vested in me, I want to grant Popcorn a full reprieve.  Come on. (Laughter.)  Popcorn, you have a full reprieve from cranberry sauce and stuffing.  We wish you well.  And we’re going to give Carmel a break as well.

All right?  (Laughter.)  Congratulations, everybody.  (Applause.)   Happy Thanksgiving, everybody.  See you, Popcorn. (Applause.)  Get out of the rain.  (Laughter.)

WHERE FANTASY LIVES

THE 87TH ANNUAL MACY’S THANKSGIVING DAY PARADE® FILLS THE STREETS WITH MAGICAL FLOATING STAGES

New York City, New York – A wondrous flotilla of fantasy will roll down the streets of Manhattan as the out-of-this world landscapes of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade’s signature floats transport spectators to lands of fantasy.

Thanks to the imagination, creative and skilled hands of the artists at Macy’s Parade Studio, these whimsical floating marvels set the scene for magical destinations. Using foam, wood, metal and paint as their tools of the trade, the Studio team designs and constructs every inch of the creations that will dazzle spectators on Parade Day.

Ready to debut this year are five new feats of imagination and engineering. Joining the lineup are floats depicting the scrumptious madness of Despicably Delicious!; the fantastic flying ship and acrobatic wonder of the Dreamseeker; the delectable puppetry aboard the Enchanting World of Lindt Chocolate; the undersea beauty of marine life on A Sea of Surprises; and the adventurous activities aboard the cruising vessel on A World at Sea.

Hitting the streets as 360-degree masterpieces, the floats begin their Thanksgiving journey as a one-dimensional sketch. From there, the Studio’s team of designers, carpenters, painters, animators, metal fabricators and electricians, work to bring it to larger-than-life form. Factors including creative inspiration, performance considerations, safety and most importantly assembly and disassembly guide the creation process. From weather to final dimensions, the team transforms the creative vision into a work of art and of engineering.

Dimensions are key for any new Macy’s Parade float. While many can be several stories tall and several lanes of traffic wide, everything imagined, designed and built must fit through New York’s Lincoln Tunnel. With Macy’s Parade Studio located in New Jersey, miles and a river away from the Parade route, the floats must all travel through the tunnel conforming to no more than 12 ½-feet tall and 8-feet wide in size. While that is the first hurdle on Parade eve, the next is the overnight assembly of the entire fleet. With the help of several cranes and extra man power, one by one the floats come to life and are prepared for their Thanksgiving Day duties.

Following is the complete listing of floats in the 87th Annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

NOTE: ALL TALENT, PERFORMANCES, ELEMENTS AND INFORMATION INCLUDED ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE

1-2-3 SESAME STREET

SESAME WORKSHOP

The stoop of 1-2-3 Sesame Street is a magical place where friends gather to celebrate the joy of the season. Along with Big Bird, Abby Cadabby, Oscar the Grouch, Elmo and their friends, the most famous street in the world celebrates its 44th season as it comes to life for a Thanksgiving Day celebration. At 32-feet long, 20-feet wide, and 2-stories tall, Sesame Street will rock when Jimmy Fallon and The Roots along with the gang from Sesame Street perform the classic “Somebody Come and Play.”

BIG APPLE

THE NEW YORK DAILY NEWS