John F. Kennedy Pushes Physical Fitness Initiative

Pol Light Moment #72 is when John F. Kennedy announced his U.S. Physical Fitness Program for young people on July 19, 1961, and called for its promotion to public schools as an initiative for the 1961-1962 academic year.  John F. Kennedy was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961-1963.

The entire text of John F. Kennedy's speech on the U.S. Physical Fitness Program can be found on The American Presidency Project Website.

In his speech, John F. Kennedy said, "To members of school boards, school administrators, teachers, the pupils themselves, and their parents, I am directing this urgent call to strengthen all programs which contribute to the physical fitness of our youth (The American Presidency Project Website)."

There is more information on Kennedy's physical fitness initiatives on the John F. Kenndy Presidential Library and Museum Website. 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 image of the cover of the U.S. Physical Fitness Program was obtained from the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum Website and is used here for informational purposes only.

Cory Booker Helps Rescue Freezing Dog

Cory Booker

Pol Light Moment #71 is when Cory Booker helped rescue a freezing dog on January 23, 2014. Cory Booker has served as a United States Senator from New Jersey from 2013 to the present. Prior to that he was the Mayor of Newark, New Jersey from 2006-2013.

On January 23, 2014, Cory Booker was notified through social media by reporter Toni Yates that there was a dog in Newark outisde in arctic temperatures.  Upon hearing this Cory Booker picked up the dog and warmed it up in a police car.  Cory Booker said this to the owners:

This dog is shaking really bad, and you just can't leave your dogs out here on a day like this and go away and expect them to be O.K. Hyperthermia on any animal, including a human animal, will set in pretty quickly. So this is very sad, you can just feel the dog shaking pretty badly (Cory Booker As Quoted by Nolan Feeney, Newsfeed, January 25, 2014).

Cory Booker has appeared on other moments on Pol Light. If you would like to see other posts on Cory Booker at Pol Light search with the label Cory Booker.

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 Cory Booker is from the Creative Commons of Wikipedia.

John Kitzhaber Helps Save Woman's Life

John Kitzhaber

Pol Light #70 is when John Kitzhaber helped save a Portland woman's life by giving her CPR, when she had went into cardiac arrest on May 5, 2014.  John Kitzhaber is presently the Governor of the State of Oregon. He has served three terms as Governor during the years 1995-2003 and from 2011 to present.


KPTV - FOX 12

On May 5, 2014, Governor John Kitzhaber was on his way to dinner and driving through downtown Portland, Oregon at about 5pm, when he noticed a woman passed out along the side of the road. He asked his driver to stop and then went over to administer first aid to the woman. He gave her CPR and other medical attention until paramedics arrived to take her to the hospital. Governor John Kitzhaber is a former emergency room physician.

Paramedic Alan Ferschweiler, who arrived on the scene of the medical emergency, told The Oregonian newspaper,

"He was surprisingly calm, and you could see he went right back to the days where he was an emergency room doctor. To go and assist the governor and take over this patient from his is pretty surprising. It definitely took us off-guard (Huffington Post, John Kitzhaber, Oregon Governor, Performs CPR to Save Woman's Life, May 6, 2014)."

A news article at KGW.com - News Channel 8 in Portland has more information on Governor John Kitzhaber helping save a woman's life on May 5, 2014.

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 Kitzhaber is in the Public Domain.

George W. Bush Writes Letter to Alabama Kicker

Pol Light #69 is when George W. Bush sent a letter on December 3, 2013, to Alabama kicker, Cade Foster, who missed 3 field goals in the Alabama vs. Auburn game on Nov. 30, 2013.  George W. Bush was the 43rd President of the United States, serving from 2001-2009.

On November 30, 2013, Auburn defeated Alabama 34-28 in the 2013 Iron Bowl. Alabama kicker Cade Foster missed 3 field goals which were critical in this close game. In the end Auburn broke a tie at the end of the game when Chris Davis returned Adam Griffith's field goal attempt 109 yards for a touchdown (USA Today, No. 5 Auburn Shocks No. 1 Alabama on Final Play , 11/30/2013).

Because of his missed field goals some sports fans had been giving Cade Foster a hard time on social media. George W. Bush sent him a letter to encourage him.

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Here are the words in the letter that George W. Bush sent to Cade Foster a few days after the game.

Dear Cade (#43),

Life has its setbacks. I know!

However you will be a stronger human with time.

I wish you all the best

Sincerely

another 43

George Bush 

Source: WSMV.Com, Ex-President Bush Writes Letter to Alabama Kicker, 12/11/2013")

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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.

Abraham Lincoln Establishes Thanksgiving Holiday

Pol Light #68 is when Abraham Lincoln gave a proclamation on October 3, 1863, making a National Holiday for Thanksgiving on the last Thursday of November. Thanksgiving Day would subsequently be changed to the 4th Thursday of the month by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from 1861 until his assassination in 1865.

The following is a video of a narrator reading the entire text of Abraham Lincoln's Thanksgiving Proclamation. 

Abraham Lincoln issued his Thanksgiving Proclamation in the middle of the Civil War. It is believed by historians that Secretary of State William Seward wrote the words to the Thanksgiving Proclamation for President Lincoln  (Abraham Lincoln Online). Sara Josepha Hale was an influential writer and editor of the day whose advocacy for Thanksgiving to become a holiday in the United States impacted Lincoln's decision.

Historian Harold Holzer said, Lincoln is "the father of the whole idea of a nation giving thanks for its advantages and privileges of living in a democracy like this (USA Today, Abraham Lincoln Father of the Thanksgiving Holiday, 11/26/2013)."

Abraham Lincoln has been featured on other Pol Light posts. To view all Abraham Lincoln posts search with Abraham Lincoln 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 in this post of Abraham Lincoln is in the Public Domain.

 

Bill Clinton Becomes a Vegan

Pol Light Moment #67 is when Bill Clinton made public his decision to become a Vegan on August 18, 2011.  Bill Clinton was the 42nd President of the United States and served from 1993-2001. He also served as the Governor of Arkansas from 1983-1992. A Vegan is a person who doesn't eat meat or fish or anything made from animals, such as dairy or eggs.

The following is a video of Bill Clinton talking about his vegan diet.

Bill Clinton described his diet this way: "I went on essentially a plant-based diet. I live on beans, legumes, vegetables, fruits... I drink a protein supplement every morning, no dairy, I drink almond milk mixed in with fruit, and a protein powder. It changed my whole metabolism and I lost 24 pounds, and I got back to basically what I weighed in high school (The Bill Clinton Diet)."

Clinton's journey with the Vegan lifestyle was precipitated by surgery for heart disease in 2004 and the desire to lose weight for his daughter Chelsea's wedding in the Summer of 2010. Regarding the reason he became a Vegan, Bill Clinton said, "I just decided that I was the high-risk person, and I didn't want to fool with this anymore. And I wanted to live to be a grandfather. So I decided to pick the diet that I thought would maximize my chances of long-term survival (Bill Clinton Reveals How He Became a Vegan, AARP)."

More Information: You can find more information on the Vegan diet that Bill Clinton follows at these pages on the Internet: 

• Bill Clinton Declares Vegan Victory, USA Today
• From Omnivore to Vegan: The Dietary Education of Bill Clinton, CNN
• Wait When Did Bill Clinton Become a Vegan, Mediaite.com

Quote Light: Bill Clinton has a page on the Quote Light blog.

Bill Clinton has been featured in other Pol Light moments and can be found by searching this blog with the Bill Clinton Label.

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 Bill Clinton is in the public domain.

Gerald Ford Pardons Richard Nixon

Pol Light Moment #66 is when Gerald Ford pardoned Richard Nixon on September 8, 1974. Gerald Ford was the 38th President of the United States serving from 1974 to 1977.  He served as Vice-President of the United States from 1973-1974 and prior to that represented the 5th District of Michigan in the United States House of Representatives from 1949-1973.

Richard Nixon resigned as President of the United States on August 9, 1974, and his Vice-President Gerald Ford became President. After a month in office, Gerald Ford pardoned Richard Nixon for any crimes he may have done as President. Over the years Presidential Pardons have been opportunities to show mercy in unusual circumstances and the pardon of Richard Nixon was probably one of the most high profile pardons in history.

Gerald Ford addresssed the nation when he made his decision to pardon Richard Nixon. Here is a historical video of Ford giving the pardon to Nixon.

Ford said he issued the pardon primarily for what he felt in his heart was in the best interests of the country and to show mercy to Richard Nixon and his family. Gerald Ford said in his pardon speech, "But it is not the ultimate fate of Richard Nixon that most concerns me, though surely it deeply troubles every decent and every compassionate person. My concern is the immediate future of this great country (Watergate.info)."

Many historians believe that the pardon Ford gave Nixon cost him the 1976 election to Jimmy Carter. Gerald Ford knew that possibility when he issued the pardon, because his speech mentions that he felt he could not rely upon public opinion polls to tell him what was right. Knowing the consequences to his political career, he still did what he thought was in the best interest of the country.

One of the most courageous political lines is when Ford said in his pardon speech, "I do believe that the buck stops here, that I cannot rely upon public opinion polls to tell me what is right. I do believe that right makes might and that if I am wrong, 10 angels swearing I was right would make no difference (Watergate.info)."

You can read the full text of Gerald Ford's pardon of Richard Nixon at Watergate.info.

Gerald Ford has been featured on other Pol Light posts. To view all Gerald Ford posts search with the Gerald Ford 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.