President Obama took care of "official" business at the White House, Wednesday, granting his first pardon to "Courage"-- a 45 pound turkey that was headed to the Thanksgiving dinner table.

Obama's daughters joined him for the ceremony. Courage will now be grand marshall of a the annual Rose Parade on New Year's Day.

"Thanks to the interventions of Malia and Sasha - because I was planning to eat this sucker - 'Courage' will also be spared this terrible and delicious fate," he joked.

The turkey was then lifted as Obama raised his hands over the bird.

"You are hereby pardoned," he said.

President George H.W. Bush was the first to officially pardon a turkey.

The White House received the bird from the National Turkey Federation-- a tradition that date back to 1947.