WASHINGTON - It's another last-time for President Barack Obama -- who today took part in his final traditional pardoning of the national Thanksgiving turkey.
And there was also a first -- with Obama's nephews standing in for daughters Malia and Sasha.
The light-hearted ceremony in the Rose Garden also featured Iowa-raised turkeys Tater and Tot, with the latter receiving the formal reprieve.
Obama said he has used the past pardoning ceremonies to embarrass his daughters with bad jokes about turkeys. He told the gathering that they had a "scheduling conflict" this year -- and then admitted that "they just couldn't take my jokes anymore."
“No way I’m quitting this habit cold turkey,” Obama said in pardoning a turkey named “Tot,” in a Rose Garden ceremony also attended by a backup turkey named “Tater.”
“We are people who look out for each other,” said Obama, flanked this year by two young nephews. “We have each other’s back.”
His nephews, Austin and Aaron Robinson, filled in admirably. Obama joked they had not yet been turned cynical by Washington. He said, "They still believe in bad puns," and "they still have hope."
The White House asked people on Twitter to vote for which turkey will receive the pardon, though both will get a reprieve.