Jacqueline Kennedy Thanks Country for Sympathy Cards

Pol Light Moment #23 occurred on January 14, 1964, when Jacqueline Kennedy thanked the United States for the overwhelming number of sympathy cards she received after her husband John F. Kennedy was killed. Jacqueline Kennedy was the First Lady, while her husband John F. Kennedy was the 35th President of the United States from 1961-1963.

On November 21, 1963, John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Texas. The country mourned the loss of a President and Jacqueline Kennedy and her two children John, Jr. and Caroline received their sympathy.

The following is a video from January 14, 1964, when Jacqueline Kennedy thanked the American people for their cards and thoughts. At the time this was recorded over 800,000 had been received, but eventually 2.5 million letters would be received.


People who sent cards to Jacqueline Kennedy received a small card back that said, "Mrs. Kennedy is deeply appreciative of your sympathy and grateful for your thoughfulness (Source)."

In 2010, Ellen Fitzpatrick published a book called Letters to Jackie: Condolences from a Grieving Nation, where she shared 200 of the 2.5 million letters.  Here is a news story on the release of this book.

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Jacqueline Kennedy has been featured on other Pol Light posts. To view other posts search with the label Jacqueline Kennedy. For more information on Jacqueline Kennedy visit her page on the website of the John F. Kennedy Library and Museum.

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.

Photo: The photo of Jacqueline Kennedy is in the Public Domain.

Roy Blunt Adopts Homeless Dog

Pol Light Moment #22 is when Roy Blunt adopted a homeless dog. Roy Blunt is a United States Senator representing the State of Missouri. He has served in office from January, 2011 to the present.

The Joplin Human Society reported that Roy Bunt said, "When Abby and I decided to get a new pet for our family, we knew we wanted to rescue a homeless shelter dog (Source)."

On January 21, 2011 Roy Blunt announced on his Facebook Page the following about his adoption, "Picked up our family's new rescue dog this morning. We adopted a male Silky Terrier Mix from Animal Adoption & Resource Center at the Joplin Humane Society (Source)."

The dog was named Max and was given as a gift to Roy Blunt's youngest son Charlie (Source).  A photo of Roy Blunt and his new dog is available as an image at stltoday.com or on Roy Blunt's Facebook timeline for January, 2011.

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.

Photo: The photo of Roy Blunt is in the Public Domain.

Arnold Schwarzenneger Governs for No Salary

Pol Light Moment #21 is when Arnold Schwarzenneger served as the Governor of the State of California and did not accept a salary. Arnold Schwarzenneger was the 38th Governor of California, serving from 2003-2011.

The Governor of California is entitled to a $175,000 per year salary. Arnold Schwarzenneger declined this salary and instead had it donated to charities (Source).

Arnold Schwarzenneger, a Hollywood movie star, estimates that he lost $200 million dollars by serving as Governor of California for two terms. In addition to governing for no salary, he did not film any movies during that time. He also paid for his own air transportation between California's state capital in Sacramento and his home in Los Angeles (Source).

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.

Photo: The photo of Arnold Schwarzenneger is in the Public Domain.

Theodore Roosevelt Inspires the Teddy Bear

Pol Light Moment #20 is when Theodore Roosevelt's Mississippi hunting trip in November, 1902 inspired the teddy bear. Theodore Roosevelt was the 26th President of the United States, serving from 1901-1909.

On November 14, 1902, President Theodore Roosevelt was on a bear hunting trip near Onward, Mississippi with several other people. To his disappointment Roosevelt had been unable to kill a bear for the first 3 days of the trip, so his aides, including the guide Holt Collier, captured a weak and old black bear and tied it to a tree for Roosevelt to easily kill. Theodore Roosevelt refused to shoot the defenseless bear as part of the sport hunt, but because the bear was injured he directed that someone else shoot the bear and put it out of it's misery (Source).

The incident of Theodore Roosevelt refusing to shoot a bear that was tied to a tree spawned the idea for a cartoon, which influenced the development of a toy known to this day as the teddy bear. The following is the cartoon of this moment that was done by Clifford Kennedy Berryman and was published in the Washington Post on November 16, 1902. Morris Michtom saw the cartoon and created a toy bear called "Teddy's Bear". The toy was so widely popular that it led Morris Michtom to start the Ideal Toy and Novelty Company in 1903 (Source).

This video explains the story of Theodore Roosevelt inspiring the Teddy Bear.




For more information on Theodore Roosevelt inspiring the Teddy Bear visit the Kids Corner at Theodore Roosevelt Association.

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.

Photos: The photo at the top of this post of Theodore Roosevelt is in the Public Domain. The cartoon of Teddy Roosevelt's hunting trip that inspired the Teddy Bear is also in the Public Domain.

George W. Bush's Quiet Service in Zambia

Pol Light Moment #19 is George W. Bush's service trip to Zambia in the first week of July 2012.  George W. Bush was the 43rd President of the United States, serving from 2001-2009.

George W. Bush and his wife Laura visited Zambia in July, 2012 to help build a cervical cancer clinic. The refurbished clinic will be located in Kabwe, the second largest city in Zambia. The clinic will provide a place to screen, diagnose, and treat cervical cancer. George W. Bush has helped raise 85 million dollars for the cervical cancer initiatives through his George W. Bush Center (Source). While in Zambia, George W. Bush also dedicated a teaching hospital in Lusaka, the capital of Zambia. He also visited an orphanage where most of the children were born with AIDS.

At a trip to the clinic in Zambia in July 2012, he said, "I hope you don't see much of it [me]. I don't want to be in the news. In other words I believe that quiet service is the best kind of service." 

“I do want to be able to say that on this particular trip, that myself and friends have left behind a clinic in hopes to inspire others to come and refurbish clinics as well and to encourage the Zambian government to make sure there are the healthcare works necessary to make sure the clinic doesn't sit there empty,” Bush said in a video at an event announcing the renovation of Ngungu Health Center. Read more on Newsmax.com: Bush and Wife Laura in Zambia Promoting Cancer Initiative.

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.

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

Charles Schumer Helps Reunite Marine with Dog

Charles Schumer

Pol Moment #18 culminated in March, 2012, when Charles Schumer helped reunite a retired marine with the dog she served with in Iraq. Charles Schumer has served in the United States Senate from 1998 to present, representing the state of New York.

Corporal Megan Leavy retired in 2007 and began a process to adopt the dog known as Sgt. Rex, that she had worked with on two tours of duty in Iraq.  The military denied Corporal Leavy's request and instead decided to keep Sgt. Rex in military service. Corporal Leavy continued to fight through redtape for five years to adopt Sgt. Rex, becoming very vocal over the years and enlisting the help of Senator Charles Schumer. Sgt. Rex's life depended on it, because after retirement the military considers old dogs as "excess", and they are sometimes euthanized.

Charles Schumer pressed the Air Force to help expedite an adoption of Sgt. Rex by Corporal Megan Leavy. An online petition was created by Charles Schumer's office that gained over 20,000 signatures. In 2012 Corporal Megan Leavy was finally reunited with Sgt. Rex, who is now 11 years of age. Here is a video of this story.




Charles Schumer said this in a press release on March 20, 2012 about the story.

We salute the Air Force and the Marines for doing the right thing and allowing Rex to be with Corporal Leavey. One canine, one human, both heroes. They should be united shortly and we’re glad it’s happening. I can think of no better ending to a story that inspired a nation than to see Sgt. Rex come home to his best friend. While millions of dog lovers across the country have a deep bond with their ‘best friend’, the bond forged between Corporal Leavey and Sgt. Rex is one that few of us will ever know. It’s only appropriate and right that the two of them enjoy their retirement from the service together. I again want to thank the Air Force and Marines for moving so quickly and I want to thank the thousands of New Yorkers and Americans who showed their support online (Source).

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.


Photo: The photo of Charles Schumer is in the Public Domain.

John Glenn Returns to Space at Age 77

John Glenn

Pol Light Moment #17 is when John Glenn returned to space at age 77 on October 29, 1998. John was born on July 18, 1921. John Glenn was a United States Senator at the time.  John Glenn represented the State of Ohio in the U.S. Senate from 1974 to 1999.

John Glenn was the first American to orbit the earth. He circled the earth three times on February 20, 1962 aboard Friendship 7 on the Mercury-Atlas 6 mission.  35 years later John Glenn convinced NASA to let him help them study the effects of aging on space travel and at age 77, he became the oldest man to again orbit the earth.  John Glenn was a crew member and the payload specialist in his return to space on the Space Shuttle Discovery (OV-103) for a 9 day mission to orbit the earth from October 29, 1998 to November 7, 1998.

Here is a video of the launch where John Glenn returned to space on October 29, 1998.



The following chart from SpaceToday.org shows the comparison of the 1962 and 1998 flights John Glenn made orbiting the earth (Source).

John Glenn's Space Flights
1962	1998
Solo in capsule Friendship 7	With six others in shuttle Discovery
4 hours, 55 minutes	9 or 10 days
162 miles altitude	325 miles altitude
3 orbits 75,680 miles	144 orbits 3.6 million miles
360,000 pounds thrust Maximum 8 Gs	7 million pounds thrust Maximum 3 Gs

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.

Photo: The photo of John Glenn in this post is in the Public Domain.

George H.W. Bush Celebrates 88th Birthday

Pol Light Moment #16 is when George H.W. Bush turned 88 years of age on June 12, 2012. George H.W. Bush was the 41st President of the United States, serving from 1989-1993. He also served as the Vice-President of the United States from 1981-1989.

George H.W. Bush suffers from Parkinson's Disease and is no longer able to walk unassisted. Here is the interview that George H.W. Bush had with his Granddaughter Jenna Bush Hager for the occasion of his 88th birthday on June 12, 2012.  In the interview the elder President reflects on his life and eventual death with wit and wisdom. There is a discussion about the bright socks he now dons in public and his joy in recently having a Great-Granddaughter. George H.W. Bush also reads one of his trademark letters to his family at the end that lead the former President to tears.

George H. W. Bush has been featured on other Pol Light posts. To view all George H. W. Bush posts search with George H. 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.

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

John F. Kennedy Reads the Declaration of Independence

Pol Light Moment #15 occurred on July 4, 1957, when then Senator John F. Kennedy read the Declaration of Independence for a radio program to celebrate the Independence Day holiday. John F. Kennedy was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961-1963.

John F. Kennedy was elected to the United States Senate in 1952. On July 4, 1957, Senator Kennedy read the Declaration of Independence on a program for the Radio Station WQXR to celebrate the United States Independence Day.  A complete transcript of the text of the Declaration of Independence, as it was written on July 4, 1776, is available at the Charters of Freedom Website.

Here is the YouTube video that features the recording of John F. Kennedy reading the Declaration of Independence in 1957.

The reading of the Declaration of Independence by John F. Kennedy was also featured by the New York Times to accompany their publication of the full version of the Declaration of Independence.

John F. Kennedy has been featured on other Pol Light posts. To view all John F. Kennedy posts search with John F. Kennedy label at Pol Light.

Quote Light: John F. Kennedy has a page on the Quote Light 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.

Photo: The photo of John F. Kennedy is in the Public Domain.