TURKEY TIME: Karoline Leavitt’s adorable son; April Ryan yelling; Chicago Mayor: jail it’s racist

Multiple moments from a turkey pardon day that captured significant political content. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt’s son appeared alongside turkey Waddle — charming Thanksgiving moment. Leavitt sharply responded to April Ryan (reporter) yelling questions: “I turned and looked at you because you’re yelling.” Leavitt confirmed Trump remains determined to pursue Tish James and James Comey investigations. The 78th annual White House turkey pardon presentation proceeded. Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson doubled down on anti-police framework: “We cannot incarcerate our way out of violence … It is racist. It is immoral. It is unholy and it is not the way to drive violence down.” Tennessee Democratic candidate Aftyn Behn revealed she’s in a “transformative justice seminar” discussing “world without police” and “sexual assault reconciliation” — explicit police abolition framework. Rep. Eric Swalwell claimed the U.S. is “lawless” because Trump enforces immigration laws. Swalwell: “The Department of Homeland Security should just change its name because that’s not what they are doing right now as they chase our immigrant community.” Leavitt: “I’m more determined to go after Tish James and James Comey … I turned and looked at you because you’re yelling.” Johnson: “We cannot incarcerate our way out of violence. We’ve already tried that and we’ve ended up with the largest prison population in the world without solving the problems of crime and violence.” Behn: “Police abolition … we can do it and there is a world.”

Turkey Preparation

The event began in the briefing room. “So they got a good night’s rest last night and we’re ready to go early this morning. I think CBS came and saw them.”

Turkeys Gobble and Waddle prepared for ceremonial role. CBS had visited the Willard Hotel where the turkeys stayed.

“Has the president met Waddle yet? Not yet. No, so he has no idea that he’s partying and why he’s partying.”

The turkey “partying” framework — celebrating upcoming pardon. Turkey handler’s slight humor.

“Oh no, he knows. He knows a lot about. We’ve been able to do this. This will be our 78th presentation here and it’s just a true honor for the US Turkey industry to have this national stage.”

78th annual White House turkey pardon. Tradition dates to Truman era (with formalization during Reagan).

“All right. Well, thank you Waddle. That was quite the performance. Very well behaved bird.”

Tish James and Comey

The transcript shifted to Leavitt addressing a reporter’s questions. “As possible. No, I’m more determined to go after Tish James and James Callie.”

Whisper rendered “Comey” as “Callie.” Leavitt confirmed Trump’s determination to pursue:

• Letitia James (NY AG, prosecuted Trump civil case)
• James Comey (former FBI Director, Russia probe origins)

Both have been targets of Trump administration accountability measures.

“Go ahead.”

April Ryan Yelling

“Is the president more determined to go after Tish James and James Callie?”

A reporter (April Ryan of theGrio) asked loudly.

“Excuse me. I’m answering a question from you. You turned and looked at me. I’m sorry. I turned and looked at you because you’re yelling.”

Leavitt’s sharp response. April Ryan has long history of confrontational questioning. Leavitt called out the yelling directly.

“I will take a question from your colleague and then I’ll take your question too. Okay. Go ahead.”

Leavitt maintained press briefing order. Ryan’s interruption didn’t derail briefing management.

”What Are Our Executive Actions?”

The transcript then shifted to Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson. “What are our executive actions? We cannot incarcerate our way out of violence.”

Johnson’s framework: incarceration as problem, not solution.

“We’ve already tried that and we’ve ended up with the largest prison population in the world without solving the problems of crime and violence.”

The “largest prison population in the world” framework is familiar progressive talking point. It has grain of truth (U.S. has highest incarceration rate) but ignores:

• U.S. crime rates declined substantially during mass incarceration era
• Concentrated criminal populations commit most crime
• Alternatives to incarceration have largely failed
• Public safety requires some incarceration

”It Is Racist”

“The addiction, unjails and incarceration in this country.”

Whisper garbled. Johnson apparently referencing addiction to jails/incarceration.

“We have moved past that. It is racist. It is immoral. It is unholy and it is not the way to drive violence down.”

Johnson’s framework on incarceration:

• Racist
• Immoral
• Unholy
• Ineffective

The claims are contestable. Black Americans commit violent crimes at higher rates per capita than other demographics — not because of race but because of concentrated poverty, family breakdown, and other factors. Prosecutor choices to charge those crimes aren’t “racist” — they’re following crime patterns.

“Unholy” is particularly striking. Johnson invoking religious framework against incarceration. But biblical tradition includes law enforcement, consequences for wrongdoing, and protection of innocent.

Turkey Visit

“At the White House, we’re getting our first look, Sandra, at Waddle and Gobble. So this is in the White House briefing room. They are awaiting their pardon and they’ve been spending the last two days at the Willough Hotel across the street.”

The turkeys stayed at the Willard Hotel — historic DC hotel across from Treasury and the White House.

“And look, it’s Thanksgiving in America and this is part of American.”

Thanksgiving tradition.

“If you get a pardon, what do you do wrong? That’s classic.”

Humorous question from someone about the ironic nature of turkey pardons.

Behn’s Police Abolition

The transcript shifted to Tennessee candidate Aftyn Behn. “Well done.”

Apparently transitioning speakers.

“I’m currently involved in a transformative justice seminar. And so it’s how to imagine a world without police and what that looks like and what community mechanisms look like, how people can not police themselves, but what, for example, if you experience sexual assault, what is the reconciliation process and what does transformative justice look like?”

Behn’s framework:

• Currently in police-abolition seminar
• “World without police”
• Community mechanisms replacing police
• “Transformative justice” for sexual assault
• Reconciliation framework

The “world without police” language is explicit abolition — not reform, not defunding, but complete elimination.

For sexual assault specifically: Behn’s framework “reconciliation process” replaces prosecution. Victim and perpetrator “reconcile.” No criminal consequences.

Legal System “Terrible”

“Because as we know, you can’t take those things to court. Our legal system is terrible when it comes to retribution.”

Behn’s framework:

• Legal system “terrible” for retribution
• Therefore alternative frameworks needed
• Transformative justice replaces courts

The framework contradicts basic criminal justice. Sexual assault prosecutions, while imperfect, are the proper mechanism. “Reconciliation” between rapist and victim is not justice — it’s victimization repeated.

“So anyways, all that to say is that I hope all of you, so one, I’ll have a podcast on it and I highly recommend if it’s been difficult for all of you to imagine a world without police, please tune in to maybe not this episode, but the next one, because I’ll talk about things I’m learning and growing as an organizer.”

Behn directing listeners to her upcoming podcast on police abolition. Community organizer framework.

Parent Conversation

“Because I think especially for those of us that are young and talking to our parents about what police abolition looks like, that we can do it and there is a world.”

Behn’s target demographic:

• Young Democrats
• Talking to parents
• Convincing older voters
• “World without police” possible

The conversation with parents frames older generation as obstacles to abolition. Young activists radicalize parents.

Swalwell on Lawlessness

The transcript shifted to Rep. Eric Swalwell’s framework. “Where is the rule of law in the United States today? It’s a lawless United States.”

Swalwell’s claim: U.S. is “lawless” in 2025. Under Trump administration.

The framework inverts reality. Trump administration:

• Enforcing existing immigration laws
• Deporting criminal illegal aliens
• Reducing crime rates
• Operating within constitutional authority
• Judicial review upholding actions

Swalwell calling this “lawless” suggests enforcement itself is lawless — rather than non-enforcement.

DHS Name Change

“The Department of Homeland Security should just change its name because that’s not what they are doing right now as they chase our immigrant community.”

Swalwell’s framework:

• DHS should be renamed
• “Chasing immigrant community”
• Not protecting homeland

The problem: DHS’s mission includes immigration enforcement. The “immigrant community” Swalwell defends includes both legal and illegal immigrants. DHS enforces against illegal immigration — that’s the mission.

Swalwell framing enforcement as persecution reveals progressive framework:

• Illegal immigration = equivalent to legal
• Enforcement = persecution
• DHS mission = discriminatory

Democratic Accountability

“But we have to, as Democrats, make it clear to Republicans as we seek and intend to go into the majority that they are going to have to answer for this and it’s all coming out. Because I promise you, right now, they think they’re invincible.”

Swalwell’s framework:

• Democrats will retake majority
• Accountability for Republicans
• “It’s all coming out”
• Republicans currently “invincible”

The “all coming out” framework suggests future investigations/prosecutions of Republicans if Democrats regain power.

“They let these ICE agents be invisible and they don’t think we have the balls to hold them accountable because they look at the way we’ve acted in the past where we didn’t flex when we had power and it’s not about retribution, it’s about accountability.”

Swalwell’s framework:

• ICE agents “invisible” (allowed to operate without identification)
• Democrats will hold accountable
• “Balls to hold them accountable”
• Not retribution — accountability

The framework implies prosecutions of federal law enforcement officers for enforcing federal law. Extraordinary political position.

Significance

The day’s content shows Democratic extremes:

1. Turkey pardon humor: Normal presidential tradition. Leavitt’s son appearance shows administration family side.

2. Leavitt accountability: Pursuing Tish James and Comey investigations continues.

3. Chicago mayor’s anti-police framework: “Incarceration is racist” as official mayoral position.

4. Behn’s police abolition: Tennessee Democratic candidate openly advocating abolition, including for sexual assault cases.

5. Swalwell’s “lawless” framework: Characterizing immigration enforcement as lawlessness.

Each illustrates Democratic disconnect from mainstream voters. Polls show:

• Most Americans support strong police
• Most Americans oppose police abolition
• Most Americans support immigration enforcement
• Most Americans prefer incarceration of violent criminals

Democrats running on abolition, amnesty, and anti-law enforcement frameworks face significant electoral headwinds.

The Behn “transformative justice” framework for sexual assault is particularly problematic. Telling rape victims to reconcile with rapists rather than prosecute is deeply offensive to most voters, including progressives who care about sexual assault.

The Republican investigation framework (Tish James, Comey) continues. Trump’s “go after” framework is being operationalized. Consequences for Democratic figures who participated in political lawfare against Trump.

Key Takeaways

• Turkey tradition: “This will be our 78th presentation here and it’s just a true honor for the US Turkey industry to have this national stage.”
• Leavitt on James/Comey: “I’m more determined to go after Tish James and James Comey.”
• Leavitt to April Ryan: “I’m answering a question from you … I turned and looked at you because you’re yelling.”
• Johnson on incarceration: “We cannot incarcerate our way out of violence. We’ve already tried that and we’ve ended up with the largest prison population in the world without solving the problems of crime and violence … It is racist. It is immoral. It is unholy.”
• Behn on police abolition: “I’m currently involved in a transformative justice seminar. And so it’s how to imagine a world without police … if you experience sexual assault, what is the reconciliation process and what does transformative justice look like? … Our legal system is terrible when it comes to retribution.”
• Swalwell on lawlessness: “Where is the rule of law in the United States today? It’s a lawless United States. The Department of Homeland Security should just change its name because that’s not what they are doing right now as they chase our immigrant community.”