Obama spares Cobbler the turkey from Thanksgiving feast (VIDEO)
President Barack Obama is joined by his daughters, Sasha and Malia, as he pardons Cobbler from the national feast.
Cobbler and Gobbler owe their lives to the American people.
The 19-week-old, 40-pound turkeys were pardoned today in a White House Thanksgiving tradition that spares two lucky birds from being part of the national feast, the Associated Press reported.
President Barack Obama said Cobbler won the turkey pardon after a “highly competitive online vote” on the White House Facebook page, the first time social media has been used to decide the winner.
Cobbler was designated the “2012 National Thanksgiving Turkey,” while Gobbler’s life was also spared “in case Cobbler is somehow unable to fulfill his duties,” ABC News reported.
"Congratulations Cobbler. You're going to have a great life," Obama said.
"They say life is all about second chances, and this November I couldn't agree more,” Obama said in reference to his re-election earlier this month.
The birds will join last year’s winners, Liberty and Peace, at George Washington’s Mount Vernon estate, US News reported.
While they may have been spared from the dinner table this year, the odds of Cobbler and Gobbler living long, happy lives are not favorable.
Peace was euthanized on Monday after falling ill, according to CNN.
And the 2010 turkeys, Apple and Cider died within a year of being pardoned, US News said.