Andy Harris Saves 2 Year Olds Life

Andy Harris

Pol Light Moment #26 is when Andy Harris saved the life of 2 year old Nathan Smith on August 26, 2012.   Andy Harris is a United States Congressman who has represented the 1st Congressional District of Maryland since 2011. Rep. Harris is also a physician and an anesthesiologist who works at Memorial Hospital in Easton, Maryland.

On August 26, 2012, Andy Harris took an alternative route because of storms and was driving on Route 50 in Talbot County, Maryland.  While driving on the highway, he saw vehicles pulled over along the side of the road but no damage to any vehicles. As he surveyed the scene he saw a 2 year old named Nathan Smith (the son of Brian and Jess Smith) lying on a blanket by the side of the road.  Harris then stopped to help.

Kevin Rector of the Baltimore Sun reported on the incident this way, "Harris said he knew the boy needed air, and turned him on his side and loosened his jaw to open his airway. At that point, the boy gasped, he said. An ambulance then arrived and took over the medical care of the boy (Baltimore Sun, 9/4/2012)."

Nathan Smith was discovered to have had a viral infection that caused him to have a seizure and stop breathing. Nathan made a full recovery after receiving medical treatment.

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 Congressman Harris was taken from Wikipedia and is in the Public Domain as an official portrait of a United States Government official.

Obama and Romney at 2012 Alfred Smith Dinner

Pol Light Moment #25 occurred on October 18, 2012, when the two men running for President of the United States shared the stage to support Catholic charities and disadvantaged children. President Barack Obama and Governor Mitt Romney were joint keynote speakers at the 67th Annual Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner in New York, held at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel. Alfred E. Smith was a former Governor of New York, who was the first Catholic Presidential candidate (Source). The 2012 rendition of this longstanding dinner raised about $5 million for Catholic charities (Source).

You can listen to the humor and wit of the evening by hearing the address of both keynote speakers who took time out of their busy campaign to spend and evening for charity.

Barack Obama's Address

Mitt Romney's Address

More information about the Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner can be found at http://www.alsmithfoundation.org/thedinner.html#about. For other posts on Mitt Romney search with the "Mitt Romney" label at Pol Light. For other posts on Barack Obama search with the "Barack Obama" 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.

John Kerry's Victory Over His Prostate Cancer

Pol Light Moment #24 is when John Kerry overcame his prostate cancer in 2003. John Kerry served as a United States Senator from Massachusetts from 1985-2013. He is currently the Secretary of State of the United States.

John Kerry learned he had prostate cancer in December, 2002, when his physicians discovered a localized tumor at its very early stages. He had surgery on February 12, 2003 (Source). His experience raised public awareness of prostate cancer.

Former Mayor of New York, Rudy Giuliana said, "Senator Kerry is a good example to men to get an examination, get it early, keep getting it and then you'll pick it up at an early stage and you'll be able to do something about. That's the key to curing prostate cancer (Source)."

Here is a video of a speech where John Kerry speaks about his prostate cancer treatment at the Livestrong Summit in Austin, Texas on October 29, 2006. For more information see this article at mycanceradvisor.com.


Following his surgery in 2003, John Kerry resumed his duties as a United States Senator and also was a candidate for President of the United States in 2004. The way in which he bounced back from prostate cancer surgery and resumed a rigorous schedule offers hope to other healthy men who face the same condition.

Dr. Patrick C. Walsh, the Johns Hopkins University urologist who performed the operation on John Kerry declared the procedure a success and in 2004 noted that it was unlikely there would be any recurrence (Source).

For more information on John Kerry's prostate cancer read an article hosted by the Urological Sciences Research Foundation web repository at http://www.usrf.org/news/john_kerry.html.

John Kerry has been featured on other posts at Pol Light. To view them search with the label John Kerry.

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 Kerry is in the  Public Domain.

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.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

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.