Obama's teenage daughters, Sasha and Malia, who have stood by his side during previous pardons -- notably casting side-eye glances at their father's turkey-themed puns -- were absent this year. The festive occasion, rife with bad jokes and poultry photo-ops, saw Obama's significantly younger nephews, Austin and Aaron Robinson, take their place. "Unlike Malia and Sasha, they have not yet been turned cynical by Washington," Obama said to laughter. "All right, congratulations," Obama told the crowd after pardoning Tot, as the turkey gobbled on cue. John F. Kennedy was the first president to formally spare a turkey, in November 1963, but it wasn't until the days of George H.W.

Source: The Nation Bangkok November 24, 2016 00:28 UTC