Tot and his buddy Tater will live out their days at Virginia Tech's Animal and Poultry Sciences Department.
For his final Thanksgiving turkey pardon, President Obama had his nephews by his side after first daughters Sasha and Malia apparently bailed on him.
Austin and Aaron Robinson, the sons of Michelle Obama’s brother, Craig, stood by their uncle’s side as he pardoned a turkey – Tot.
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“Unlike Malia and Sasha, [Austin and Aaron] have not yet been turned cynical by Washington,” Obama said. “They still believe in bad puns, they still appreciate the grandeur of this occasion, they still have hope."
During the eighth and final pardoning from the president, Obama spared the life of Tot, the Iowa born turkey, as well as Tater.
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Prior to the pardoning, the White House asked fans on Twitter to vote for two turkeys – Tater and Tot – as to who will be spared in the ceremony.
Who will receive this year’s #WHTurkeyPardon? Vote before the official ceremony tomorrow: https://t.co/wTcdWKlWAM #TeamTater #TeamTot
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) November 22, 2016
The turkeys will live out their days at Virginia Tech’s Animal and Poultry Sciences Department at “Gobbler's Rest” in Blacksburg, Virginia.
Introducing Tater and Tot, the 2016 National #Thanksgiving Turkeys: https://t.co/wTcdWKlWAM #WHTurkeyPardon pic.twitter.com/H3NjsU6YNT
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) November 22, 2016
The annual turkey pardon has been a White House tradition since 1947 when the chairman of the National Turkey Federation has presented a turkey to a U.S. president to spare their lives.
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