Perspective Podcast - March 16, 2012

In this edition of Perspective...

Your Voice, Your Vote
Rick Santorum won primaries in Alabama and Mississippi this week, giving the former Pennsylvania senator high-stakes victories in key Southern contests.  Mitt Romney, who still holds a commanding delegate lead, finished in third place behind Newt Gingrich in both races.  Santorum's victories came after a week of polls that showed the three challengers running virtually neck-and-neck in both states.  To discuss the details and what to expect in future contests, ABC's Jim Hickey speaks to ABC Political Analyst Sam Donaldson.

Dennis Kucinich
And now some surprising and revealing insights from one of the most colorful and fervently anti-war members of congress, Representative Dennis Kucinich, who recently lost a hard-fought battle for re-election.  ABC Senior Political Correspondent Jonathan Karl spoke to Kucinich in Washington.

Rampage in Afghanistan
There are around 90 thousand Americans in Afghanistan, many having spent years working to improve the U.S. image there.  But that effort took a giant step backward last week, when a lone soldier walked to a nearby Afghan village and allegedly murdered 16 civilians, including children.  As the president and the pentagon wrestle with the ramifications of that attack, there's also scrutiny of the suspect's home base.  ABC's Martha Raddatz has the details.

Sovereign Citizens
And now a different kind of violence, from anti-government extremists living outside the law -- people who literally believe that laws don't apply to them.  They have no driver's licenses, pay no taxes, and their numbers are growing.  They call themselves sovereign citizens, but many say they are a loose confederation of Americans who are often violent.  Here's ABC's Dan Harris.

Lost Journalist in Syria
Anthony Shadid was a New York Times correspondent who died of a massive and fatal asthma attack, possibly induced by stress and allergies, while leaving Syria.  He was there in secret, reporting on the continuing brutal violence against Syrian civilians.  ABC's Christiane Amanpour spoke to Shadid's grieving widow about her husband.

Growing Up Gravano
The won you're about to meet grew up as a mob daughter, and she's currently surviving hair-pulling cat fights on the reality TV show "Mob Wives."  Her name is Karen Gravano, and while you won't recognize her name, some may know her father.  Here's ABC's Jay Schadler.

The Hunger Games
Hunger Games is one of the most anticipated movies of the year.  Based on the book of the same name, it opens on March 23rd, but held its premiere Monday night in downtown Los Angeles.  ABC's Jason Nathanson was there.

Host:  Cheri Preston
Producer:  Colin Tipton

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Perspective Podcast - March 9, 2012

In this edition of Perspective...

Super Tuesday
Every year in Pakistan, hundreds of women are victims of acid attacks ... horrific incidents where liquid acid is thrown on their faces, leaving them permanently scarred and disfigured.  Many are left without proper access to medical care, while those who do have access often require up to 20 surgeries to repair the damage.  ABC's Christiane Amanpour has the details.

GOP Campaigns Moving Forward
Super Tuesday was the biggest night so far in the Republican presidential race, but where do the candidates go from here?  To look ahead, ABC's George Stephanopoulos speaks to ABC Political Contributors Matthew Dowd and James Carville.

Palin vs. HBO
While leaving the polls in Alaska on Tuesday, Sarah Palin said she's not ruling out a presidential bid in 20-16.  However, she's still focusing on the 2008 election, thanks to a new film that has ignited a fierce feud within the Palin camp.  ABC's John Berman explains.

Acid Attacks
Every year in Pakistan, hundreds of women are victims of acid attacks ... horrific incidents where liquid acid is thrown on their faces, leaving them permanently scarred and disfigured.  Many are left without proper access to medical care, while those who do have access often require up to 20 surgeries to repair the damage.  ABC's Christiane Amanpour has the details.

Christie Brinkley and Peter Cook
In this day and age, nasty divorces can be exposed for the whole world to see ... online on places like Facebook and Twitter, making it easy to get the details about famous couples' breakups.  Christie Brinkley and Peter Cook are the most recent example of what can happen when a divorce goes viral.  Here's ABC's Elizabeth Vargas.

The Power of Habit
Like most of the animal kingdom, we humans are creatures of habit.  Author and reporter Charles Duhigg has explored our habitual behavior and written a book called "The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business."  ABC National Correspondent Jim Hickey spoke to Duhigg to find out more.

The Fat Chef
Celebrity Chef Paula Deen's announcement she had diabetes made waves because of her "more butter the better" approach to cooking.  Today we meet a pastry chef that has an even more extreme health crisis, and his own irresistible sweets are to blame.  Here's ABC's Juju Chang.

Sofia Vergara
She's a single mom who came to this country and made it big.  Sofia Vergara is the red hot star of Modern Family on ABC.  In her spare time, Vergara has launched a line of clothing for women who want her Hollywood flare at discount prices.  All this from a woman who once thought she'd be a dentist.  Here's ABC's Cynthia McFadden.

Host:  Cheri Preston
Producer:  Colin Tipton

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Perspective Podcast - March 2, 2012

In this edition of Perspective...

Romney's Wins in Michigan and Arizona
Mitt Romney won primaries in Arizona and Michigan this week, and while he's a few delegates closer to winning his party's nomination, Michigan could cause problems for him this fall, if he gets that far.  ABC's John Berman explains.

Looking Ahead to Super Tuesday
While Ron Paul and Newt Gingrich were not the winners in Arizona or Michigan, they're hoping for good showings on Super Tuesday, when 437 delegates from 10 states will be up for grabs.  ABC Senior Washington Editor Rick Klein speaks to ABC's Steven Portnoy about the GOP Presidential race and the upcoming contests.

The Costa Allegra Docks Safely
Just one day before this weeks Arizona and Michigan primaries, the Costa Allegra cruise liner went adrift in the Indian Ocean after a fire in its engine room knocked out the ships power.  After three days at sea, sleeping outside to avoid the 100-plus indoor temperatures, passengers finally disembarked from the crippled cruise ship and onto Seychelles Island off the eastern coast of Africa.  ABC's Jeffrey Kofman was there when they docked safely on Thursday.

Scientology: An Insider Speaks
The church of Scientology is one of the world's newest religions and is opening dozens of new churches around the world.  But now, a former Scientology insider says there is much the world doesn't know about the famously powerful, wealthy, and secretive institution.  She details allegations of misuse of power and physical harassment.  ABC's Dan Harris has the interview with a woman who was once a high-ranking church official.

High School Rampage
On Monday morning, a 17-year-old Ohio student stood up in his high school cafeteria and opened fire, killing at least three classmates.  Now the small town of Chardon is dealing with the aftermath of the tragedy.  The prosecutor in the case is charging the alleged shooter, T.J. Lane, as an adult, and as he stands accused of aggravated murder, we're hearing more from the chilling 9-1-1 calls that day.  ABC's Reena Ninan has the details.

US Foreign Policy
America's foreign policy and overall role in the world is always a topic of heated debate, and there are some concerned the United States is slowly losing ground as the world's dominant superpower.  As the U-S begins to pull troupes out of Afghanistan, after already pulling out of Iraq, some have questions as to whether America has the resources to assert its power in future conflicts, including the situation brewing with Iran.  To delve deeper into the debate, ABC's Christiane Amanpour spoke to one man who believes differently.

The Godfather Turns 40
It's an iconic film that became a cultural phenomenon on movie screens across the country, and  ABC News Entertainment Correspondent Bill Diehl takes us back, thanks to a new book, to the beginning of 'The Godfather Era.'

Host:  Aaron Katersky
Producer:  Colin Tipton

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