Obama defends legal authority to pardon turkeys

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama is defending his legal authority to take executive actions — to spare a pair of Thanksgiving turkeys.

Obama joked that his turkey pardon will be his "most talked about executive action this month." Last week, the president issued a series of highly anticipated executive actions on immigration that are opposed by Republicans.

The presidential turkey pardon is a quirky annual tradition at Thanksgiving, the holiday when American families gather for turkey feasts.

The two turkeys who were granted this year's presidential pardons are Mac and Cheese.

The birds will be sent to a Northern Virginia turkey farm to live out the rest of their days.