English subtitles for clip: File:President Obama Pardons White House Turkey - 2013.webm

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The President:
Good afternoon, everybody,
and happy Thanksgiving.

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The office of the presidency --

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the most powerful
position in the world --

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brings with it many awesome
and solemn responsibilities.

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This is not one of them.

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[laughter]

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But the White House Turkey
Pardon is a great tradition.

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And I know Malia loves it --
as does Sasha.

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Generally speaking, Thanksgiving
is a bad day to be a turkey.

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Especially at a house
with two dogs.

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So I salute our two
guests of honor --

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Caramel and Popcorn --

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for their bravery.

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They came all the way from
outside Badger, Minnesota

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to be with us.

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They, like my Chief of Staff,
are Vikings fans.

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[laughter]

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I'm not sure that they know --

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[turkeys gobble]

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-- uh-oh.

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[laughter]

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See.

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I'm not sure they know
that that my Bears

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are heading to Minnesota
on Sunday,

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but in the spirit
of Thanksgiving,

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I'm going to give them a break.

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We are also excited
to have students

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from Badger High School here.

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[applause]

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Where are you guys?

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There they are, right there.

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And finally, let me say
thank you to John Burkel,

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chairman of the National
Turkey Federation.

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Give him a big
round of applause.

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[applause]

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Now, 80 turkeys on
John's farm competed

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for the chance to make it
to the White House,

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and stay off the
Thanksgiving table.

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It was, quite literally,
the hunger games.

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[laughter]

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and then, after weeks
of vocal practice

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and prepping for the cameras, 
the two tributes,

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Caramel and Popcorn went
head-to-head together

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for America's vote
as top gobbler.

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The competition was stiff,
but we can officially declare

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that Popcorn is the winner --

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[applause]

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-- proving that even a turkey
with a funny name

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can find a place in politics.

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[laughter]

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As for Caramel,
he's sticking around,

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and he's already busy raising
money for his next campaign.

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[laughter]

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On a more serious note, later
today, Michelle, Malia, Sasha,

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and I will bring a couple
less fortunate turkeys

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to a great organization

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that works to help out
our neighbors here in D.C.

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who need it most.

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And I want to thank
Jaindl's Turkey Farm

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in Orefield, Pennsylvania,

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for donating those dressed birds
for the fifth year in a row.

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This is a reminder that this is
a season to not only be thankful

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for the incredible
blessings that we have,

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but also to remember
the neediest

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and generously serve those
who are not as fortunate.

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This is a quintessentially
American holiday,

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and during this
time we give thanks

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to our friends and our family,

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for citizens who show
compassion to those in need,

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and for neighbors who help
strangers they've never met.

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We give thanks for
the blessings of freedom

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and opportunity that
previous generations

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worked so hard to secure for.

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And we give thanks for
the service and sacrifice

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of our brave men and women 
in uniform who serve our nation

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around the world.

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For those of you who are
watching, you keep us safe.

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You make us proud,
and you remind us

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of our own obligations to build 
on the work of our predecessors

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and leave something
better for our own kids.

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So on behalf
of the Obama family,

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I want to wish everybody
a very happy Thanksgiving.

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Tomorrow, as we gather
with our own friends and family,

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we'll count ourselves
lucky that there's more

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to be thankful for
than we can ever say,

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and more to be hopeful for
than we can ever imagine.

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And now, before
these turkeys get away --

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with the power vested in me,

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I want to grant Popcorn
a full reprieve.

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Come on.

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[laughter]

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Popcorn, you have
a full reprieve

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from cranberry sauce
and stuffing.

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We wish you well.

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And we're going to give
Caramel a break as well.

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All right?

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[laughter]

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Congratulations, everybody.

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[applause]

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Happy Thanksgiving, everybody.

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See you, Popcorn.

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[applause]

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Get out of the rain.

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[laughter]