President Obama Pardons Thanksgiving Turkeys - Which Was Crowned Big Bird?

By Sheila Cosgrove Baylis

11/28/2013 at 01:25 PM EST

President Obama, with daughters Sasha and Malia, pardons Popcorn

Chip Somodevilla/Getty

Caramel and Popcorn are delicious together, but neither snack-named turkey will be eaten this Thanksgiving, as both were formally pardoned by President Obama on Wednesday.

Popcorn was the winner of the public vote and the star of the official bird-pardoning ceremony, though the runner-up, Caramel, will be spared as well.

"And now, before these turkeys get away, with the power vested in me, I want to grant Popcorn a full reprieve ... from cranberry sauce and stuffing. We wish you well," Obama said. (Watch the clip below to see how it all went down.)

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"The office of the presidency, the most powerful position in the world, brings with it many awesome and solemn responsibilities – this is not one of them," the president joked. "But the White House turkey pardon is a great tradition, and I know Malia loves it, as does Sasha."

According to the White House history of the event, the pardon stems from a story of President Lincoln, whose son Tad grew so attached to a turkey meant for Christmas dinner that he asked his father to spare the bird – and Lincoln agreed.