WILKES-BARRE, Pa. — At a rally in Great Falls, Montana, President Donald Trump spoke to a crowd of supporters about his thoughts on campaign slogans.
“‘Putting America First,’ we understand. ‘Thousand Points of Light’ I never quite got that one,” said President Trump. “I’m telling ya, What the hell is that? Has anyone ever figured that one out? Aye, and it was put out by a Republican wasn’t it?”
‘Thousand Points of Light’ was George H. W. Bush’s campaign slogan in 1988. The slogan then provided the name for the former president’s foundation Points of Light that works to encourage volunteerism in the community.
President Trump’s criticism of the slogan has not been well received. Some, including representatives of the Bush family, calling it “rude” and a dig at volunteerism.
“Honestly, I think they probably just doesn’t know what a thousand points of light are,” laughs Doug Hamilton, the operations manager at Keystone Mission in Wilkes-Barre. “I think maybe he’s just missing what that is.”
“Sometimes he can be very childish, very ignorant at times but you know we gotta let it go,” says Keystone volunteer Anthony Walker. “You know you got people like that in this world but you just gotta pray for people.”
Volunteers setting up for a picnic at Keystone Mission in Wilkes-Barre think the president would choose a different slogan to criticize if he knew the impact of it from Bush’s campaign nearly 30 years ago.
“You would see that as a positive thing I think and encourage people to you know be a part of something like that,” adds Hamilton.
Hamilton says his organization relies heavily on volunteers.
“They’re the engine to make things work for us,” describes Hamilton.
Anthony Walker is a volunteer at Keystone Mission. He believes volunteering is essential.
“It’s very important people need to show more love and gratitude toward one another and get involved and help,” says Walker.
Walker says actions like those are needed during times like this.
