George W. Bush Creates W100K Bikeride for Veterans

Pol Light #74 is when George W. Bush created the W100K bike ride for veterans that took place for the first time on April 25-27, 2011.  The event is part of the Bush Center's Military Service Initiative and designed to help not only the group of veterans who are selected to participate in the ride, but also to raise awareness on issues facing all veterans after their military service is concluded.  George W. Bush was the 43rd President of the United States, serving from 2001-2009.

The W100K is an annual event held in the Spring in Texas. The 4th Annual W100K was held on May 1-3, 2014. In 2014, 16 veterans from the Afghanistan and Iraq field joined George W. Bush on a three day, 20 mile mountain bike ride on the trails of Prairie Chapel Ranch in Crawford, Texas. George W. Bush explains the ride by saying on his website,

"I'll be riding across the deserts of Texas with wounded warriors to show the unbelievable character of our men and women in uniform...it's a ride to herald people who were dealt a severe blow and said, 'I'm not going to let it tear me down.'"--George W. Bush (Bush Center, W100K).

The following is video highlights of the first W100K event that took place in 2011.

Here is a news story CNN did on the 2012 W100K event.

George W. Bush has been featured on other Pol Light posts. To view all George W. Bush posts search with George W. Bush label at Pol Light.
Pol Light does not endorse political candidates. We present a brighter side to politics when they are found on either side of the aisle. We don't have to agree with all of a person's politics to recognize these bright moments.  

The photo of George W. Bush is in the Public Domain.

Steve King Helps Veterans Visit Their Memorial

Steve King

Pol Light Moment #65 is when Steve King helped Veterans visit the World War II Memorial on October 1, 2013. Steve King is a member of the US House of Representatives who has represented Iowa's 5th District from 2003-2013 and because of redistricting has represented Iowa's 4th District since 2013.

The World War II Memorial along with other open air memorials in Washington DC had been closed and barricaded on October 1, 2013, by the Obama Administration due to the federal government shutdown. Stephen King and other Congressional Representatives helped take down the barricades for veterans to visit the site of the World War II Memorial.

World War II honor vets from Iowa and a delegation from Mississippi arrived for their scheduled visit to the World War II Memorial on October 1, 2013. They were not able to get in because the government put up barricades around the open air memorial. Rep. Steve King reportedly distracted the police, while the barriers were removed (WWII Vets Storm Shut Down Memorial as GOP Congressman Reportedly Distracts Cops). Below is a new story on this moment in political history.

The following tweet on Twitter was an eye witness account of Rep. King's actions at the memorial.

Credit where due -- I watched Rep Steve King distract a park police officer while vets and staffers knocked down the fences here. #shutdown
— Leo Shane III (@LeoShane) October 1, 2013

Rep. Steve King told CNN that he was disappointed that intervention was necessary at all. "We don't have guards around them at any other time," King said (Veterans Break Past World War II Memorial, CNN Blog).

Pol Light does not endorse political candidates. We present a brighter side to politics when they are found on either side of the aisle. We don't have to agree with all of a person's politics to recognize these bright moments.


The photo of Stephen King is in the Public Domain.