Willie R. Tubbs, FISM News
Since there is nothing particularly venerated about the annual president’s pardoning of a Thanksgiving turkey, one must refrain from asking “is there nothing sacred?” However, one might be justified in casting a furrowed glance toward President Joe Biden after he used what is meant to be a cute event for clear political purposes.
Monday, Biden welcomed young people onto the South Lawn of the White House for the post-COVID return of an annual tradition. In most ways, the event looked and sounded like it always has. The president, as have his predecessors dating to Abraham Lincoln, violated both rules of entertainment by working with both animals and kids.
Biden cracked some puns and got upstaged by loud gobbles from his guests of honor — a pair of plump turkeys named Chocolate and Chip.
He even managed to get in a brief mention of the Word — a generally faithful summation of 1 Thessalonians 5:16-22 — although the president did not mention the word “Bible” or cite the book to which he referred.
However, sprinkled throughout the speech were statements alluding to the midterms — because if there’s one thing kids love more than adorable animals, it’s relitigating recent elections — as well as the pandemic.
“First of all, the votes are in,” Biden said during his speech. “They’ve been counted and verified. There’s no ballot stuffing. There’s no ‘fowl’ play. The only red wave this season is going to be [if] a German Shepherd, [presidential pet] Commander, knocks over the cranberry sauce on our table.”
“The only red wave this season is gonna if our German Shepherd, Commander, knocks over the cranberry sauce.”
— President Biden jokes about Republicans’ midterm performance at the annual Thanksgiving turkey pardon pic.twitter.com/Yw4YgHYLtz
— The Recount (@therecount) November 21, 2022
Later, Biden said he was thankful for “scientists and researchers” and plugged new booster shots.
“We have new COVID vaccine updates to deal with new variants to protect you and your loved ones,” Biden said. “So, get it today. Get your flu shots as well. This winter can be … much happier than recent holiday seasons, but you have to do your part. Please visit vaccines.gov. Decide what you’re going to do.”
The latter statement was more at home in a speech ostensibly aimed at children than election talk, and it was substantially less dire than Biden’s 2021 warnings of a winter of death.
Indeed, Biden’s Monday remarks were indicative of a president moving more to the center, though certainly still to the left, on COVID. That is likely a positive sign for conservatives, who have long criticized the president and others on the left for causing undue alarm among children in relation to COVID.
At CPAC 2022, former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Dr. Ben Carson warned that causing fear among children over COVID was irresponsible.
“Imagine what it must be like to be a little kid,” Carson said. “You have to wear a mask. You don’t get to see facial expressions. Then you’re told you might be harboring some deadly disease. You may not be sick, but you may give it to your grandmother, and she may die. Well, grandmothers do get older, and they do die. Now you’re feeling guilty about that.”
But the strangest part of Biden’s speech is not what he said, but what he chose not to say.
In his self-attaboying, Biden ignored the fact that this is projected to be among the more expensive Thanksgivings in U.S. history, and one that comes a year after another especially pricey Turkey Day.
For reasons only the president and his speechwriters know, there was no mention of inflation, the cost of getting by, or remembering those less fortunate than ourselves to be found in Biden’s remarks.
Republicans, who are not above a little holiday politicking of their own, were happy to fill in that blank. Pointing at the effect of inflation on holidays has become a preferred strategy on the right.
Monday morning, prior to the president’s speech, the Senate Republicans’ Twitter account featured a 30-second video highlighting the ways conservatives feel Biden has ruined Thanksgiving.
“This Thanksgiving is the most expensive in 40 years,” the post reads. “Americans can’t afford these high costs.”
This Thanksgiving is the most expensive in 40 years.
Americans can’t afford these high costs. pic.twitter.com/icERt1EtJQ
— Senate Republicans (@SenateGOP) November 21, 2022
Later in the day, Louisiana Republican Sen. John Kennedy celebrated one of the more esoteric holidays on the calendar with a tweet that read, “Happy National Stuffing Day to the Thanksgiving staple that’s 69% more expensive in Biden’s America!”
Florida Sen. Rick Scott and Montana Sen. Steve Daines, both Republicans, each used the hashtag “Bidenflation” to hurl their own criticisms at the president Monday evening.