President Obama Hams It Up As He Pardons The Thanksgiving Turkey

The official pardoning of a turkey in celebration of Thanksgiving is perhaps the most absurd ritual in a year’s worth of White House events. That’s sort of why it’s so awesome. Earlier today, President Obama pardoned his third turkey (THAT WE KNOW OF) and had some fun with the goofy tradition by gesticulating towards the big bird in a papal fashion — that is certain to anger someone somewhere — before officially declaring “you are here by pardoned.”

Even weirder? The most powerful man in the world concluded by asking the audience to “give a round of applause” to the turkey. Weird, right? Still, Obama had a lot fun with it, appearing to not take himself too seriously.

Watch the clip below, courtesy of CNN:

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