WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden is spending part of his 81st birthday observing the White House tradition of pardoning Thanksgiving turkeys.
The gobblers receiving executive clemency at a ceremony Monday are named Liberty and Bell. The 20-week-old, 42-pound birds were hatched and bred in Willmar, Minnesota, by the Jennie-O turkey company for the occasion.
The turkey pardon ceremony marks the unofficial start of the holiday season in Washington and will happen on an especially busy day for the White House.
Besides celebrating the president's birthday, Jill Biden welcomes delivery of a Fraser fir from North Carolina as the official White House Christmas tree.