Perspective Podcast - July 8, 2011

***Special Edition of Perspective: "The End of the Space Shuttle Program***

The Atlantis Launch.

A million people came out to watch Space Shuttle Atlantis lift off on the final 12 day mission to the International Space Station.  Many of them made the trip to Florida to watch the final launch at the Kennedy Space Center, saying they wanted to witness history firsthand.  While storms threatened to delay the launch, and there was a last-minute computer glitch that stopped the countdown just for a minute, it was a beautiful liftoff for Atlantis.  ABC's Aaron Katersky explains.

"The Final Four".

They signed their names as a joke, "The Final Four", but they have adopted it as a slogan.  The four astronauts flying the last Space Shuttle mission are Chris Ferguson, Doug Hurley, Sandy Magnus, and Rex Walheim, and they know their names will go down in the history books.  With more on who they are and what their mission is, here is our longtime Space Shuttle Correspondent Vic Ratner. 

Presidents and the Space Program.

Over the past 30 years, several different presidential administrations have played important roles in space exploration and the space shuttle program in particular. From John F. Kennedy to Barack Obama, American leaders have had had a part in both the triumphs and the tragedies of sending men and women into space. For more, we turn to White House Correspondent Ann Compton in Washington.    

Vic Ratner Q&A.

It is one thing to talk about a shuttle launch, or to watch one on television. It is quite another to be right there, at the Kennedy Space Center when the shuttle takes off. Our own Vic Ratner has been there, though, describing nearly every liftoff from the beginning. Through the years, we have listened as he has described the shuttle taking off in all its glory. And we were listening as he described one fateful day in particular. ABC's Vic Ratner joins us.

The Legacy of the Space Program.

On April 12, 1981 the Space Shuttle Columbia took off into orbit, marking the beginning of the Space Shuttle Program.  Now, three decades later, the fascination and appreciation that many Americans felt for that first flight still resonates.  Despite two deadly accidents, Challenger in 1986 and Columbia in 2003, with the loss of 14 astronauts in all, the program will leave a record of achievement.  With more on the legacy of the space shuttle program we once again turn to ABC's Vic Ratner.  

How the Shuttle Changed Our Lives'.

Most of us us will never go into space, enter a rocket ship, or walk on the moon.  But the research that has been conducted over the past 30 years as a result of the space shuttle program is part of our everyday lives.  From robotic surgery, to long-distance tele-medicine, to your smart phone, NASA and the space shuttle have had a major impact on the way we live.  With more on what the shuttle program has meant for all of us, we go back to ABC's Vic Ratner.

What's Next?

Space Shuttle Atlantis marks the final launch for the shuttle program. And with the end, come many questions. What is the future of manned space flights? President Obama says he is 100 percent committed to the future of the space program. And he also says that ending shuttle flights does not mean an end to America's leadership in space. But what does that mean? In other words what is next? With the answer we once again turn to ABC's Vic Ratner. 

Host:  Cheri Preston

Producer:  Jason Wesalo

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Perspective Podcast - July 1, 2011

In this edition of Perspective...

George Anthony.

The Casey Anthony defense opened the trial by claiming she did not murder her toddler, but lied about the accidental drowning because Casey had been sexually abused by her own father, George Anthony. This week the defense rested, but not before calling out George Anthony once again, this time accusing him of an adulterous affair.  ABC's John Donvan explains.

Amanda Knox.

It has been nearly four years since American exchange student Amanda Knox was arrested in Italy and accused of killing her English roommate, in a sexual encounter that somehow turned deadly violent. Knox, along with her boyfriend at the time, was convicted in 2009, but this week the 23-year-old got new hope that she will not pass into middle age in a foreign prison.  ABC's Elizabeth Vargas has the story.  

Bill Clinton.

The number of Americans seeking unemployment benefits has held steady, according to the latest figures, but of course there are millions more out there looking for work.  Among those trying to do something about them is the President of Perpetual Motion, Bill Clinton, who sat down with ABC's Chief White House Correspondent Jake Tapper.

Michelle Bachman.

In 2008 on national television she called for the media to find out which members of Congress are "pro-America and anti-America".  She's been a combative and to many an inspiring leader, on the far-right of the political spectrum and now she is running for president and polling well in Iowa.  Here is ABC's Jonathan Karl with Congresswoman Michelle Bachman.  

Border Drug Bust.

An estimated 35,000 murders were committed in the last five years in battles over control of the U.S. market for illegal drugs.  But those murders didn't happen here, they happened in Mexico.  Meanwhile, the products keep flowing North and the cash flows South.  We got an exclusive look at the drug war as few have ever seen it, on the border and at a top secret U.S. government facility.  Here is ABC's Senior Justice Correspondent Pierre Thomas.  

Generation Freedom.

They call it the Arab spring, the revolution that has swept the Middle East and changed the game right across the world.  Oil, terrorism, the relationship between Islam and Christianity, it is all at stake.  So what forces have been unleashed there and what will happen next?  That is the topic that ABC's Terry Moran discussed with author Bruce Feiler.

Inside Pixar.

When it comes to movies, there's not much that satisfies everyone from toddlers to seniors. But the recent release of "Cars 2" gave Pixar another chance to prove they do it better than anyone else.   After hearing that their films are made on a blissful campus in the Bay Area, ABC's Bill Weir just had to go to check the offices of Pixar.

Host:  Cheri Preston

Producer:  Jason Wesalo

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Perspective Podcast - June 24, 2011

In this edition of Perspective...

Obama & Afghan Drawdown.

On Wednesday evening, President Obama addressed the nation and told them he was ready to start drawing down the number of troops in Afghanistan more quickly than previously planned.  Polls show the American public is largely in favor of this withdrawal, but the president's top military advisors were not as enthusiastic.  They wanted more time.  So, almost ten years after the attacks of September 11th and seven weeks after the killing of Osama Bin Laden, does the president really think our work in Afghanistan is almost done?  ABC's Senior Foreign Affairs Correspondent Martha Raddatz reports.

Afghan Outlook.

President Obama spoke about the successes in Afghanistan that led to the decision to withdraw American troops from the region.  So what has changed on the ground in Afghanistan due to presence of the American military?  ABC's Nick Shifrin who is currently in Kabul. has reported from the region for over three years and spoke with ABC's Steven Portnoy.

Tiger Moms.

Dr. Spock's "Baby and Child Care" book has sold more than 50 million copies since its 1946 publication, second only to the bible.  But now a new kind of parenting book is flying off of the shelves and the author we spoke with has critics roaring about her sharp-clawed advice, packaged under the title, "The Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother".  Here's ABC's Juju Chang to talk with the author and a few moms of different stripes.

James Ray Verdict.

When paramedics arrived on the scene, they thought it was a mass suicide.  Bodies were everywhere outside a sweat lodge in Arizona, 18 injured, with three more dying or already dead.  But it wasn't a suicide, it was a spiritual exercise led by a self-help guru who urged followers to break through their limitations.  Well this week, a jury found him accountable in the deaths.  ABC's Dan Harris has been following the story from the start.  

The Mormon Moment.

Many American's knowledge of the Mormon Church may be limited to casual associations with Salt Lake City, polygamy, or pairs of missionaries in neck ties going door to door.  But that may be about to change.  Mormons and Mormonism, or at least highly imagined versions of them, are now front and center on several of the country's biggest stages, from Broadway to the 2012 presidential campaign. ABC's Jonathan Karl got exclusive access to the newest face of the Republican field and starts us there.  

Economy of Summer Movies.

It's summer time, so that naturally means pirates terrorizing the high seas, cowboys in shootouts against aliens and flying saucers vaporizing entire national capitals.  All in good fun of course.  It's blockbuster season and this year a cash strapped Hollywood has geared up for go-for-broke sequels, knock-offs and smash-ups, plus maybe a surprise or two.  ABC's David Wright takes a sneak peak at all the big summer movies.  

Host:  Cheri Preston

Producer:  Jason Wesalo

Download of stream this episode of the Perspective Podcast