President Barack Obama waves his hand as he pardons a turkey named Courage, alongside his daughters Malia (R) and Sasha (2nd R), and National Turkey Federation Chairman Walter Pelletier (3rd L), during the annual turkey pardoning ceremony for Thanksgiving on the North Portico of the White House in Washington, DC, on November 25, 2009. (Photo by Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images)

'Courage' will live on. (Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images)

By Mark Memmott

"I was planning to eat this sucker," President Barack Obama just joked, before issuing an "official" pardon for Courage the turkey. His girls convinced him to do otherwise, Obama said.

Cracking another one-liner, Obama also said that he and daughters Sasha and Malia today have "saved or created four turkeys" -- a second bird, named Carolina, has also been pardoned and the first family will be delivering two birds (for eating) to a D.C.-area charity.

That "saved or created" line, of course, refers to the oft-used phrase his administration keeps using about the jobs that it says have been "saved or created" by this year's economic stimulus package.

On a more serious note, the president urged all Americans to -- as we say thanks this week -- "also give back to those less fortunate" during this holiday season.

The Obama girls and the president all took the opportunity to pet Courage, by the way.

Earlier, we posted the amusing "preview" video that the White House produced.

Update at 12:30 p.m. ET. Here's the audio of the president's "proclamation":

categories: Food, Fun, Obama Administration

11:49 - November 25, 2009

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