On Monday, President Joe Biden continued the White House tradition of issuing presidential turkey pardons ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday.
It’s usually a lighthearted moment that Americans watch on the nightly news.
However, this year’s ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House got weird.
In fact, one comment from our gaffe-prone president’s turkey pardoning was so strange that the sign language interpreter who appeared next to Biden on the White House video feed seemed momentarily but genuinely shocked.
After pardoning turkeys “Chocolate” and “Chip,” Biden turned to Ronnie Parker of Circle S Ranch in Monroe, North Carolina, who raised the birds, according to WCNC-TV.
“How many turkeys you got down there — you raising?” the president asked.
“Circle S Ranch raises about nine and a half million turkeys a year,” said Parker, chairman of the National Turkey Federation.
Biden, seemingly stunned by the high number, immediately made a comparison that those watching had a tough time deciphering — and his response left sign language interpreter Elsie Stecker with her mouth wide open.
“God love ya. Nine and a half million turkeys. I tell you what, that’s like some of the countries I’ve been to,” Biden responded.
After he made the comment, whose meaning nobody seemed able to comprehend, the president immediately turned to the turkey on the table.
“And the — anyway. You wanna talk?” he said to the bird.
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Like Stecker, many on social media were dumbfounded.
— Good_Enough_Isn’t (@KPag777) November 21, 2022
What’s he talking about? “Some of the countries I’ve been to”???
— Extreme Ultra Mega MAGA Chris (@clmacman) November 21, 2022
Nobody knows
— Cody Allen ?? (@TherealCody151) November 21, 2022
Bidens handlers need a voice double. Someone really take immediate cut his feed and take over. Absolutely the most embarrassing loser I’ve ever seen.
— Jamie (@realJamieBurns) November 21, 2022
Some interpreted his comments as insulting to the countries he visited.
It is not enough to vilify half of your country’s citizens, now he is insulting foreign countries. I hate to say what if b/c we keep saying it so often but what if Trump had said this? There would be a special counsel & impeachment procedures.
— Takoui Smith (@TakouiS) November 21, 2022
Imagine Trump said that line about 9 and a half million turkeys being like some of the countries he’d been to. The news would REeeeeEEEEe ing all day about how Xenophobic, and racist he is.
— DigitalPigeon (@Th0tcriminal) November 21, 2022
Giving creative credit where credit is due, Biden’s scriptwriters came up with at least one somewhat funny line to distract from what was otherwise an extremely awkward moment for many who were watching.
“First of all, the votes are in. 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 a German shepherd, Commander — knocks over the cranberry sauce on our table.,” the now 80-year-old president said.
What Biden didn’t mention, however, was the not-so-fun side of this year’s Thanksgiving, which is how much more the holiday dinner will cost this year. According to the American Farm Bureau Federation, Americans can expect to pay at least 20 percent more than they did last year.
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.