In the latest charade of the White House, President Joe Biden found himself enthralled by the feathery guests of honor on the South Lawn. Biden was joined by chair of the National Turkey Federation, John Zimmerman, his prodigy, Grant Zimmerman, and unsurprisingly, this year’s pardoned turkey, Peach. The spectacle could easily be seen as a predictable attempt to uphold an annual White House turkey pardon tradition, with Biden ludicrously pardoning not just Peach but another turkey, Blossom from Northfield, Minnesota.
The journey these turkeys undertook encapsulates the kind of drama only a near-absurd task such as this could bring. The agent behind their transportation was Peter Gruhl, who drove the turkeys from Minnesota to Washington, D.C. The inexplicable detail of the journey stands out: ‘They gobble every time they see a flash from a highway toll sign, but other than that they’re pretty cool,’ stated Gruhl. One could argue the strapping of fowls into the back of an SUV screams nothing but desperate attempts for a ‘feel-good’ photo op.
Not to belittle Gruhl’s dedication to his task, but the spectacle continues to unfold throughout the journey. Gruhl reportedly treated the turkeys to a generous amount of food and rest breaks, perhaps an example of pretentiously unnecessary fluff in the Biden era. In an effort to further ‘care’ for his charges, Gruhl extended himself to sharing accommodations with them at a storied D.C. hotel.
He delved into details stating, ‘Basically, the two turkeys stay in one room,’ and proceeded to explain, ‘I have the attached room with the door open. They can walk around. They put down plastic, shavings, feed and water’. One, certainly, could not make this up. The picture of a high-room-tariff hotel accommodating two birds in its premises only strengthens the criticism of how easily the current administration might use gimmicks to distract from other pressing matters impacting the country.
The saga concludes with an anticlimactic denouement: following their presidential pardon, Peach and Blossom are set to reside at Farmamerica in Waseca, Minnesota. Gruhl expressed confidence that ‘the public will be able to come and view them and learn more about the turkey industry in Minnesota’. It is curious if the public would indeed be interested in a turkey viewing after such an overblown event, or if they’d rather have their concerns heard by the administration.
The experience, as tarnished as it may seem, does hold some novelty for Gruhl who met the last four presidents attending presidential turkey pardons. This might speak volumes about the lengths the administrations are willing to go to uphold farcical traditions. Echoing the public sentiment, many are left contemplating upon the necessity of such an event amidst times demanding serious leadership.
The eyebrow-raising bounty of this spectacle symbolizes the misplaced priorities within Biden’s administration. The ostentatious display of pardoning two turkeys can be viewed as a futile attempt to instill goodwill in the public eye. It ostensibly avoids mentioning the more pressing domestic and global challenges the administration fails to tackle effectively.
The turkey pardon can serve as an apt metaphor for the current administration’s trend of prioritizing pomp and circumstance over functional leadership. In a time where scrutiny and accountability are paramount, one could argue that such antics are misplaced.
The way this oddity is played out, from the geese’s gobbling at highway toll sign flashes to their ritzy stay at the capital, portrays an administration engrossed in a focus on side shows, rather than the main act. The spectacle portrays an unsettling contrast to the problems that are demanding attention.
Events such as these elucidate the deep-seated issues within the current regime, visible through the veneer of these transparent charades. The nation is promised growth and prosperity, only to be offered symbolic turkey pardoning ceremonies.
Incidents such as the one signifying turkey pardons shift the focus from where it is needed. It is high time that the regime breaks these old, frivolous traditions and redirect its attention towards the serious issues plaguing the country at present.
Many remain dubious about the positive impact of such ceremonies upon the image of the Biden regime, given the emphasis on mascarading the trivial as the novel. Post-pardoning, much contemplation is to be done about whether or not a tradition should be upheld simply because it’s ‘what’s always been done’.
In conclusion, the annual turkey pardoning, particularly under the Biden regime, serves as a flashing sign of the administration’s current misdirection. As citizens look on, they may be left wondering when the focus will shift from poultry to policy.