Hillary Clinton Supports Child Survival in Congo

Pol Light Moment #49 took place on June 14, 2012, when Hillary Clinton supported a fundraiser for Ben Affleck's Eastern Congo Initiative. The charity event was held at Georgetown University and was called 'Call to Action: Child Survival'. Hillary Clinton served as the First Lady from 1993-2001, when her husband Bill Clinton was President. She has also served as a U.S. Senator from New York and Secretary of State under President Barack Obama.

The Eastern Congo Initiative has as it's goal to assure that all children are able to live until their 5th birthday (Source).  Here is a video from the 'Call to Action: Child Survival' event on June 14, 2012.


Hillary Clinton said at the event as noted in the above video, "This year more than 7 million children will die from preventable causes before they reach their 5th birthday. Saving children's lives can not be just a job for governments. So we are all here today with one vision to make sure every child everywhere lives to see his or her 5th birthday."

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 Hillary Clinton is in the Public Domain.

Rand Paul Returns $600,000 to Treasury

Rand Paul

Pol Light Moment #48 took place on February 20, 2013, when Senator Rand Paul announced he would return $600,000 in unused funds from his Senatorial Office Budget to the United States Treasury. Rand Paul has served as a U.S. Senator from Kentucky from 2011 to the present.

Rand Paul said about the return of funds in the above video, "We watch every purchase. We watch what computers we buy, we watch the paper we buy, we watch the ink cartridges. We treat the money as if it's our money, or your money, and we look at every expenditure."

The $600,000 represents 20% of Sen. Rand Paul's Senatorial office budget (Source). This is not the first time that Sen. Rand Paul has been able to return money to the Treasury because his office staff was able to watch expenses. In 2012, Sen. Rand Paul returned $500,000 back to the U.S. Treasury.

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 Rand Paul is in the Public Domain.

John F. Kennedy's 'Moon' Speech

Pol Light Moment #47 is when John F. Kennedy set high goals of Space exploration for the United States and gave his 'Moon' speech at Rice University on September 12, 1962. John F. Kennedy was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961-1963.

Here is video footage of the speech that John F. Kennedy gave on his goals for the United States' Space program at Rice Stadium. You can also read the text of it here.

One of the noteworthy lines that Kennedy said in the speech was,

We choose to go to the moon. We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard, because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one which we intend to win, and the others, too.

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.

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

Kevin O'Toole Gives Boy Replacement iPad

Kevin O'Toole

Pol Light Moment #46 is when Kevin O'Toole gave 8 year old Jordan-River Samuel an iPad for Christmas on December 24, 2012. Kevin O'Toole is a State Senator in New Jersey representing the 40th District. He lives in Cedar Grove in Essex County, New Jersey. He descends from a father who is Irish American and a mother who is Korean American.

Someone had stolen Jordan-River Samuel's iPad during the Christmas season and after State Sen. Kevin O'Toole heard about it he gave the boy a new iPad.

"A lot of good things have happened to me and my family and we like to pay it forward as often as possible (Source), said Kevin O'Toole about the gift he made."

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 Kevin O'Toole is in the Public Domain.

Michelle Obama's 'Let's Move' Initiative

Michelle Obama

Pol Light Moment #45 is when Michelle Obama started the Let's Move! initiative on February 9, 2010. When Michelle Obama launched the initiative to combat childhood obesity, she said, "The physical and emotional health of an entire generation and the economic health and security of our nation is at stake (Source)." Michelle Obama is the First Lady of the United States from 2009 to 2017.
The Let's Move website describes the initiative this way:

Let's Move! is a comprehensive initiative, launched by the First Lady, dedicated to solving the challenge of childhood obesity within a generation, so that children born today will grow up healthier and able to pursue their dreams. Combining comprehensive strategies with common sense, Let's Move! is about putting children on the path to a healthy future during their earliest months and years. Giving parents helpful information and fostering environments that support healthy choices. Providing healthier foods in our schools. Ensuring that every family has access to healthy, affordable food. And, helping kids become more physically active (Source).

Here is a news story about the Let's Move initiative.  

On February 27, 2013, First Lady Michelle Obama will have a two day tour around America to observe the 3rd anniversary of the Let's Move initiative (Source).  You may follow Let's Move on Twitter by following the accounts of @FLOTUS or @LetsMove.  For more information on Let's Move visit their website at www.letsmove.gov.  Michelle Obama has been featured on other Pol Light posts. To view all the posts featuring Michelle Obama search with the label Michelle Obama.

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 Michelle Obama is in the Public Domain.

Ken Cuccinelli Saves Trucker from Fire

Pol Light Moment #44 is when Ken Cuccinelli saved a trucker from a fire on January 25, 2013. Ken Cuccinelli is the Attorney General in the State of Virginia, a position he has held since 2010. From 2002-2010 he served in the Virginia State Senate.

On January 25, 2013, Ken Cuccinelli and his driver Cory Chenard were driving on I-64 near Louisa, Virginia. They noticed smoke and burning tires in the truck ahead of them. The Trucker's Report said,

They were able to get the driver to pull over, and after checking to make sure that she was okay, they retrieved a fire extinguisher and were able to put out the fire. Cuccinelli said the driver clearly didn't know there had been a problem, but it looked like the issue was that her brakes had locked up and the friction had caused the fire (Source). 

Here is a news story on the moment when Ken Cuccinelli helped save a trucker from a fire.


For more information on this read an article at the Trucker's Report about this moment.

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 Ken Cuccinnelli is in the Wikipedia Commons and is attributed to Cage Skidmore.

Thomas Jefferson Writes Declaration of Independence

Pol Light Moment #43 is when Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence. The Declaration of Independence was written between June 11 and June 28, 1776, and formerly adopted on July 4, 1776.  Thomas Jefferson was the 3rd President of the United States, serving from 1801-1809. Thomas Jefferson was chosen to be the individual to write this important document in the history of the United States and 56 of the nation's leaders signed their name to the finished Declaration of Independence.  Here is a technological creation of what it might have sounded like if Thomas Jefferson read the Declaration of Independence. 
Some of the most memorable portion of the Declaration of Independence say:

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed,--That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely effect their Safety and Happiness. 

You can read a full transcript of the Declaration of Independence at the Charters of Freedom Website.
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 the Declaration of Independence and Thomas Jefferson are in the Public Domain. 

George W. Bush's Dog Barney Stars in Final Video

Pol Light Moment #42 is when George W. Bush's dog Barney starred in his final Christmas video on December 15, 2008.  George W. Bush was the 43rd President of the United States, serving from 2001-2009.  Barney who is a Scottish Terrier was the "First Dog" for 8 years. Barney died on February 1, 2013 from Lymphoma (Wikipedia: Barney (dog)). 
The following is Barney's Final Christmas Video. It was the 7th Edition of the popular video series.

Barney's White House webpage was frozen in the historical archives and is still available for reading at http://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/barney/.

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 Barney in the Bush White House is in the Public Domain. 

George H.W. Bush Skydives on 85th Birthday

Pol Light Moment #41 is when George H.W. Bush went skydiving on June 12, 2009, for his 85th birthday. 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 did a tandem jump of 10,500 feet with a member of the US army's Golden Kights parachute team over the skies of Kennebunkport, Maine on June 12, 2009 (Source). Below is a video of this event as it happened in 2009. 
George H.W. Bush also did previous skydive jumps for his 75th and 80th birthdays. In addition, he plans to jump on his 90th birthday. George H.W. Bush said the reasons he performs the jump is that it feels good and exhilarating and also that it sends a message around the globe that, "Just because you are an old guy you don't have to sit around drooling in the corner. Get out and do something. Get out and enjoy life (Source)."
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.
The photo of George H.W. Bush is in the Public Domain.