Background on the Pardoning of the National Thanksgiving Turkey

President Barack Obama sought to reassure Americans they are safe as millions of people travelled on Wednesday (Nov 25) for the Thanksgiving holiday, with security heightened at airports, New York City’s parade festivities and other venues after the Paris attacks.

Obama acknowledged that the deadly attacks in Paris on November 13 struck a deep chord with many Americans.

Flanked by his top counter-terrorism and national security advisers, he said at the White House: “I want the American people to know we are taking every possible step to keep our homeland safe”.

“The president was briefed that there is now no specific, credible threat to the homeland from ISIL”, the White House said in a statement about Tuesday’s meeting, using an acronym for the Islamic State terrorist group.

The adorable support from the Obama sisters comes in stark contrast to last year’s blunt criticism from a former Republican congressional aid who said the two should try “showing a little class”.

“For many of us”, hesaid, “the events there touched a deep chord”. “He’s TOTUS – the Turkey of the United States”, President Obama said as quoted by ABC.

He praised law enforcement officials around the country for “working overtime” to protect the American people, and said their efforts have saved lives.

“We go through challenging times, so often the news of the day can make folks discouraged”, the president said, “but the fact is that we live in the greatest country on earth and we are blessed in so many ways”. Obama said that, later in the day, he and his family will “take some of the less fortunate turkey brothers with us” to help serve meals to homeless veterans.

The president urged Americans to go about their usual Thanksgiving activities but also called on them to be vigilant about suspicious activity.

“It is hard to believe this is my seventh year of pardoning a turkey”.

“We will not let up, adjusting our tactics where necessary”, Obama insisted.

Obama said he would be addressing that issue further in the “coming weeks”.

Second, we continue to do everything possible to prevent attacks at home and overseas, and to prevent foreign terrorist fighters from entering the United States or other nations.

Meanwhile, we’re totally thankful for the girls’ chic skirt-and-bootie combo looks.