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He couldn't preserve the political lives of fellow Democrats this month, but he can still save a turkey.
President Barack Obama pardoned "Apple," a 45-pound bird, and his feathered friend, "Cider," on Wednesday in an annual White House ritual ahead ofThanksgiving, a holiday Americans celebrate with a big turkey dinner.
"Today, I have the awesome responsibility of granting a presidential pardon to a pair of turkeys," Obama, standing with his two daughters in the White House Rose Garden, told a smiling audience.
"Now, for the record, let me say that it feels pretty good to stop at least one shellacking this November."
Democrats lost strength in the Senate and their majority in the House of Representatives on November 2 in elections Obama described famously as a "shellacking", or heavy beating.
Politics took a backseat to the more high-profile turkey ceremony on Wednesday, however, and the president -- calling it "one official duty I am sworn to uphold as the leader of the most powerful nation on Earth" -- made the most of it.
He explained the process that led to the birds' selection: two turkeys from a California ranch won the high-stakes competition by strutting to music before a panel of judges.
"Only one pair would survive and win the big prize: life and an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington," Obama said to laughter.
White House staff had gathered outside to watch. Obama's chief economist, Austan Goolsbee, dispensed advice about turkey preparation, proclaiming the virtues of brining the bird before it is cooked.
Apple and Cider will not have to worry about a brine bath.
The two turkeys will spend the rest of their days on the grounds of Mount Vernon, the Virginia estate of the first U.S. president, George Washington.
(Read by Nelly Min. Nelly Min is a journalist at the China Daily Website.)
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(Agencies)
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美国总统贝拉克•奥巴马本月虽然未能保住民主党的政治前途，但还是可以保住一只火鸡的性命。
本周三，在白宫举行的一年一度的感恩节前赦免火鸡仪式上，奥巴马赦免了45磅重的火鸡“苹果”和它的好友“苹果汁”。美国人常以一场盛大的火鸡宴来欢庆感恩节。
赦免仪式在白宫玫瑰园举行。奥巴马在两个女儿的陪伴下对面带微笑的观众们说：“今天，作为总统，我带着神圣的职责来赦免一对火鸡。”
“坦率地讲，这至少使11月的这次惨败带来的郁闷之情一扫而光，感觉棒极了。”
在11月2日举行的美国国会中期选举中，民主党在参议院的优势被削弱，而且失去了众议院多数席位，被奥巴马称为“惨痛的失败”，或沉重打击。
而与政坛相比，本周三举行的赦免火鸡仪式更引人注目，奥巴马充分利用了这一契机。他表示，“作为全球最强大国家的领导人，赦免火鸡仪式是我誓言要拥护的一项职责。”
他介绍了两只火鸡的“海选”经过：它们来自加州的一个农场，在激烈竞争中胜出，比赛方法是让火鸡们听着音乐在评审团面前昂首阔步地行进。
奥巴马笑着说：“只有一对火鸡能活下来，它们赢得的大奖就是：活着，以及一次华盛顿免费游。”
白宫工作人员观看了此次赦免。奥巴马的首席经济学家斯坦•古斯比向众人散发了火鸡烹饪准备的小贴士，并指出了做火鸡前将它用盐水浸泡的好处。
“苹果”和“苹果汁”再也不用担心洗“盐水浴”了。
两只火鸡将在美国首任总统乔治•华盛顿位于维吉尼亚州的故居弗农山庄度过余生。
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（中国日报网英语点津 Julie 编辑：冯明惠）
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