Nov 20 - Donnie and Marie on Larry King

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/bestoftv/2007/11/14/lkl.osmonds.on.romney.cnn

In this clip from Larry King Live, Donnie and Marie Osmond and some of their siblings discuss the presidential campaign of fellow Mormon Mitt Romney.

Speaking about John F. Kennedy’s historic address about being Catholic and running for president, Marie Osmond told King, “I hope we’ve grown up since then.” “I hope people look at the person and what they’ve done,” the Osmond sister added.

Romney’s advisers have told the Republican presidential candidate not to give a Kennedy-esque speech regarding being a Mormon.

Nov 19 - Abortion at Democratic Debate

The Democratic Debate in Las Vegas has live blogging. This is an excerpt from the debate where repondants discuss the issue of abortion.

Supreme Court | 9:57 p.m. Will you require your Supreme Court nominees to support abortion rights?

Mr. Kucinich says he would have a litmus test on abortion rights, but he would be a “healer” who would also advocate for things that reduce the need for abortions. The others don’t want to use the word abortion, saying instead that they support the right to privacy. Mrs. Clinton said her nominees would have to “share my view about privacy and I think that goes hand in hand.” Only when Mr. Blitzer prompted her did she say the answer is “yes.”

She also credits Mr. Biden for understanding the legal issues involved and how the government works. Mr. Obama says he would not appoint someone who doesn’t believe in the right to privacy.

Nov 16 - Obama Promotes Education

Mr. Obama provides a stark assessment of his own childhood, which was spent partly in Indonesia and mostly Hawaii, where he attended prep school. “My parents weren’t rich. My father left me when I was very young,” he says in voice-over, as family photos of his parents and a young Mr. Obama are displayed on screen. “The one thing I was able to get was a great education."

Nov 15 - Bishops Direct Catholic Voters

The nation's Catholic bishops today approved a statement on the nature of "faithful citizenship" that hammers home the "intrinsic evil" of abortion and reminds Catholic voters to consider their faith's teachings when voting for a president. It is "a summary of Catholic teachings; It is not a voter guide," said Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio of Brooklyn.

"Catholics often face difficult choices about how to vote. This is why it is so important to vote according to a well-formed conscience that perceives the proper relationship among moral goods. A Catholic cannot vote for a candidate who takes a position in favor of an intrinsic evil, such as abortion or racism, if the voter's intent is to support that position. In such cases, a Catholic would be guilty of formal cooperation in grave evil. At the same time, a voter should not use a candidate's opposition to an intrinsic evil to justify indifference or in attentiveness to other important moral issues involving human life and dignity."

Nov 14 - Iran Accused of Spreading Extremism

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Tuesday accused Iran of spreading "violent extremism" across the Middle East and said a strong Palestinian state could act as a bulwark against this threat. Speaking to American Jewish leaders at a conference in Nashville, Tennessee, Rice reassured them of Washington's commitment to protect longtime ally Israel against threats from Tehran and said successful Palestinian statehood negotiations could counter Iran's power in the region.

"We will defend against any action, as we always have, that would compromise Israel's security,"

"A responsible Palestinian state can be a bulwark against that threat (of extremism)," said Rice. "This makes the two-state solution more urgent than ever," she added.

Nov 13 - Mitt Romney Advised Against Mormon Speech

Mitt Romney said that he wanted to give a speech on his Mormon faith, but that he had been advised against it by his political supporters. They believe that it may ward off many voters or might rub them the wrong way if he chooses to do so.

Romney was asked by an audience member about "prejudiced voters" for whom "Mormonism is a factor," and if Romney had to do a Kennedy-like speech.

Romney said that in a recent interview CBS's Bob Schieffer asked him "eight or nine questions, all about my church." Afterwards, according to Romney, Schieffer asked if he was "ever going to give a Mormon Speech?" Romney joked, "I just did."

In some sense it would be better for Romney to say what he wants to say. But in other ways it would ward off many potential political supporters. I believe it would be worse to suppress his opinions because they will eventually come out and may be an unpleasant awakening for the American population.

Nov 12 - Bias Ban Against gays

The house approved the first federal ban on job discrimination against gays, lesbians, and bisexuals. This is a very progressive move in American politics. Many people who are of a religious faith were very against this proposal.

This is great because it is unfair to be biased against people based on their sexual orientation. It doesn't make sense that a person's sexual orientation would prevent them from getting a job. A person's sexual orientation has nothing to do with the ability they have in doing a job well. It should be required for all businesses to keep discrimination and bias out of the workplace.