导读:赦免火鸡是美国总统每年感恩节必备的仪式,还有两个月即将卸任,奥巴马最后一次赦免火鸡也显得感慨万千。
President Barack Obama pardoned his last Thanksgiving turkey on Wednesday, an annual tradition that sees the US leader spare two birds - the centerpiece of most holiday tables - from the carving knife.
本周三,奥巴马最后一次赦免感恩节火鸡免遭屠刀--这是一个一年一度的传统,美国总统会赦免两只火鸡(火鸡是大多数美国家庭感恩节大餐的核心),使它们免于死亡。
"Thanksgiving is a chance to gather with loved ones, reflect on our many blessings and, after a long campaign season, finally turn our attention from polls to poultry," he said as he introduced this year’s turkeys - two 40-pound, 18-week-old birds, named Tater and Tot.
奥巴马介绍了今年的两只火鸡--18周大、重40磅,名字分别叫土豆和丸子,并说道:“感恩节是一个和亲人团聚、反思我们享受的诸多祝福的时候,在一个漫长的竞选季过后,最后将我们的注意力从投票转到这些家禽上来吧。”
Tot was pardoned in the Rose Garden ceremony, while Tater was on hand as an alternate, should anything go awry with the main bird.
丸子在玫瑰花园的仪式上被赦免了,而土豆则在边上作为备用--如果“主角”出了什么差错的话。
"I want to take a moment to recognize the brave turkeys who weren’t so lucky, who didn’t get to ride the gravy train to freedom, who met their fate with courage and sacrifice and proved they weren’t chicken," Obama said - prompting amused groans from the gathering.
奥巴马说道:“我想花点儿时间来赞扬那些不是那么幸运的勇敢的火鸡们,它们没有登上这趟幸运的通往自由的火车,它们带着勇气直面自己的命运、牺牲并证明自己不是鸡。”奥巴马的段子逗得聚会的人们哈哈大笑。
"All right, congratulations," Obama told the crowd after pardoning Tot, as the turkey gobbled on cue.
在被赦免之后,丸子在一旁咯咯叫着好像在提醒什么,于是奥巴马说道:“好吧,祝贺你!”
The president also took the opportunity to check off a list of accomplishments he was thankful for: six straight years of job creation, the stock market tripling, and marriage equality, among others.
奥巴马也借此机会清点了一份他要表示感谢的名单,他列出了一些取得的成绩:连续6年创造就业机会、股票市场翻了三倍、以及婚姻平等和其他事项。
John F. Kennedy was the first president to formally spare a turkey, but it wasn’t until the days of George H.W. Bush in 1989 that pardoning became a White House ritual.
约翰·肯尼迪是第一个正式赦免火鸡的美国总统,但是直到1989年老布什当政时,赦免火鸡才成为了白宫的一个仪式。