Biden ignores vegan Thanksgiving push
Joe Biden pardoned two turkeys last week, but other less fortunate fowl ended up on his family’s Thanksgiving plates, celebrities’ calls to go vegan notwithstanding, as evidenced by the president’s lavish holiday menu.
Thyme-roasted turkey with sides of Grandma Jacobs’ savory stuffing, classic turkey gravy, roasted kitchen garden fall vegetables, sweet potatoes, kale and button mushrooms, and cranberry relish made up the main course at the Biden family’s Thanksgiving dinner this year, as revealed by the White House on Thursday.
The first family was apparently left unconvinced by some celebrities and animal rights groups calling for the nation to dump the long-standing American tradition of feasting on meat for the holiday. Instead of eating a turkey, groups had urged people to adopt one.
For the holiday, the Bidens chose to gather at a $30 million, 13-acre estate on Nantucket Island owned by billionaire David Rubenstein, reportedly a close friend of the president. On the guest list were members of the next two generations of the family.
The Bidens spent the morning watching the New York Macy’s parade on TV. They apparently decided to take a more active part in the festivities by phoning NBC host Al Roker, who was broadcasting from the procession in what was supposed to look like a surprise call to the viewers, though some media outlets said it most likely was not. The president did not miss the opportunity to remind everyone that “America is back” and “there’s nothing we’re unable to overcome.”
However, the posh venue that Biden chose, coupled with his usual pep talk, did not sit well with critics who pointed to the rising inflation confronting ordinary Americans. Indeed, according to the latest data released by American Farm Bureau Federation, a classic Thanksgiving meal for 10 rose from $46.90 last year to $53.31 in 2021 – a 14% increase.
And for those who feel inflation has put a real dent in their savings, the St. Louis Federal Reserve came to the rescue, tweeting its recommendations on the Thanksgiving meal this year. The advice is to go vegan – not for ethical reasons, but rather for the sake of economy. After all, “a soybean-based dinner serving with the same amount of calories costs 66 cents and provides almost twice as much protein,” the officials claimed.
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki leaped to her boss’ defense, arguing that “there are an abundance of turkeys available. They’re about $1 more for a 20-pound bird.” She went on to reassure Americans that the Biden administration has been “working to make sure people have more money in their pockets.”
