每年11月下旬，白宫都会有一个固定的赦免火鸡的节目。总统会站在一只活火鸡面前对它进行“赦免”，这只火鸡就不会在传统的感恩节(Thanksgiving)大餐上被吃掉。
感恩节是美国人与家人和朋友一起庆祝和表达感恩的节日。过去这几年，欧巴马(Obama)总统在他的女儿玛丽亚(Malia)和萨沙(Sasha)的陪伴下，在感恩节前一天轻松愉快地发表关于火鸡的讲话，正式赦免这只火鸡，最后以花哨的手势结束这个仪式。
欧巴马最后一次赦免火鸡的仪式于11月23日举行，他今年赦免的两只火鸡名叫“Tater”和“Tot”。
这个饶有趣味的视频记录了欧巴马和其他几位总统的火鸡赦免仪式。
对于这项传统是什么时候开始的还有些争议，但是白宫历史协会(White House Historical Association)表示，亚伯拉罕·林肯(Abraham Lincoln)总统在1863年赦免火鸡的活动开创了赦免仪式的先河。1863年，约翰·肯尼迪(John Kennedy)总统站离椭圆形办公室(Oval Office)几步之遥的一只火鸡旁说，“我们让它活下去”。 后来的历届总统继续了这个传统，在白宫玫瑰花园(White House Rose Garden)举行媒体活动，就火鸡和即将到来的节日发表简短的讲话，然后进入总统的赦免程序。
欧巴马总统曾对这项年度活动开过玩笑，在2015年指出“有些人认为这个传统有点可笑。 我并不反对。”
他说：“但我的确喜欢这个祝福全体美国人民感恩节快乐的机会。”
Pardon a turkey? It’s a White House tradition before Thanksgiving.
Every year in late November there is one constant around the White House. The president will stand in front of a live turkey and “pardon” it, ensuring that the bird will not be eaten as part of the traditional Thanksgiving feast.
In years past, President Obama has stood with his daughters, Malia and Sasha, and made a lighthearted speech about the turkey the day before Thanksgiving, the U.S. holiday when Americans gather with family and friends to celebrate and give thanks. Then the president officially spared the bird, adding a personal flourish of hand gestures to complete the pardon.
Obama’s final turkey pardon is set for November 23, when the president will spare this year’s birds, named “Tater” and “Tot.”
This humorous video documents Obama’s turkey pardons over the years.
There is some debate over when the tradition first began, but the White House Historical Association said President Abraham Lincoln’s 1863 clemency to a turkey launched the pardoning ceremony. President John Kennedy said “let’s keep him going” in 1963 as he stood next to a turkey just steps from the Oval Office. Future presidents continued the tradition, holding media events in the White House Rose Garden to talk a bit about the turkeys and the upcoming holiday before granting the presidential pardon.
President Obama has joked about the annual event, noting in 2015 that “some folks think this tradition is a little silly. I do not disagree.”
“But I do enjoy this chance to wish America a happy Thanksgiving,” he said.
