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By Alexandra Jaffe, CNN

updated 6:23 PM EST, Wed November 26, 2014

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

Washington (CNN) -- President Barack Obama pardoned the national Thanksgiving turkey with a smile on Wednesday, but he admitted before saving the bird from it's likely demise that he found the decades-old tradition somewhat "puzzling."

"It is a little puzzling that I do this every year, but I will say that I enjoy it because with all the tough stuff that swirls around in this office it's nice once in a while just to say, 'Happy Thanksgiving,'" he said.

And with a wink and a nod, the president also made joking reference to the controversy dogging his administration over his unilateral move to offer protection from deportation to some 5 million immigrants in the U.S. illegally.

"I am here to announce what I'm sure will be the most talked about executive action this month. Today I am taking an action that is fully within my legal authority," he said to laughter from the crowd, in reference not to the immigration move, but the turkey pardon.

Joined by his teenage daughters, Obama went on to pardon Cheese, the turkey chosen by Americans as this year's national Thanksgiving turkey via Twitter.

The nearly 50-pound snow-white turkey calmly accepted the president's pardon as flashbulbs burst and officials looked on.

Cheese and his alternate turkey, Mac, were both raised by National Turkey Federation Chairman Gary Cooper's son Cole, both of whom were in attendance at the ceremony Wednesday.

The rest is here:
Obama 'puzzled' by turkey pardon