Biden pardons Thanksgiving turkeys and marks his 81st birthday with jokes

President Joe Biden stands next to Liberty, one of the two national Thanksgiving turkeys, after pardoning them during a ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

Two Thanksgiving turkeys have played their part in an annual holiday tradition at the White House and have received pardons from the president, sparing them from becoming someone’s dinner.

The 20-week-old, 42lb birds, which were hatched and bred in Willmar, Minnesota, by the Jennie-O turkey company for the occasion, are named Liberty and Bell.