The Smerconish Podcast

Επεισόδια

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  Today's Poll Question: Should the U.S. grow or shrink its footprint in the Middle East? 19.08.2026 13λ

  Today's Poll Question at Smerconish.com: Should we be growing or shrinking our footprint in the Middle East? With the Pentagon reportedly reassessing America’s military presence across the region, Michael asks whether decades of bases, troops, and intervention are still making the United States safer. He reflects on his own visit to U.S. military installations in Qatar and Djibouti and examines the strategic dilemma exposed by the conflict with Iran: Does maintaining a massive American footprint deter threats—or help create the very resentment and vulnerability it is meant to contain? Cast your vote at Smerconish.com.
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  “The Strait Is Closed”: Admiral Stavridis on Iran, Trump and What Comes Next 18.08.2026 30λ

  Admiral James Stavridis joins Michael Smerconish to assess the escalating confrontation with Iran, why he says the Strait of Hormuz is effectively closed, Trump’s approach to North Korea, and the extraordinary 260-plus-day deployment of the USS Abraham Lincoln. Then, listeners who served at sea share firsthand stories of long Navy deployments, life aboard submarines and aircraft carriers, and what it takes to endure months away from home. Original air date 18 August 2026.
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  Today's Poll Question: Is the Jason Arday tragedy a story of affirmative action gone too far, or a racist witch hunt? 18.08.2026 14λ

  Today's Poll Question at Smerconish.com: Is the Jason Arday tragedy a story of affirmative action in the extreme, a racist witch hunt, or both? Michael examines the troubling and complicated story of Cambridge professor Jason Arday, whose death followed intense scrutiny of plagiarism allegations and extraordinary claims about his academic and personal history. Was Cambridge too eager to elevate a groundbreaking Black scholar without sufficient scrutiny? Or did Arday become the target of a relentless, racially charged campaign once questions emerged? Drawing on the competing narratives surrounding the case—and Tyler Austin Harper’s argument in The Atlantic that both may contain truth—Michael asks whether this tragedy exposes failures on multiple sides. Listen here, then vote.
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  Luigi Mangione Pleads Guilty — But Where Was the Remorse? 17.08.2026 31λ

  Michael Smerconish reacts to Luigi Mangione’s guilty plea in the killing of UnitedHealthcare executive Brian Thompson — and to what he says was notably missing: remorse. He examines Mangione’s courtroom statement, his lawyers’ double-jeopardy strategy, and the continuing public anger toward America’s health insurance system. Then, listeners weigh in on a provocative question: Do Mangione’s grievances with the health care system mitigate his crime in any way? The answers leave Michael stunned. Original air date 08-17-26
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  Today's Poll Question: The White House East Wing has already been demolished. Should the Trump Ballroom now be built? 17.08.2026 11λ

  Today's Poll Question at Smerconish.com: The White House East Wing has already been demolished. Should the Trump Ballroom now be built? The fight over President Trump’s proposed White House ballroom has shifted dramatically. With an appeals court blocking above-ground construction unless Congress approves it, the administration is asking the Supreme Court to intervene—and increasingly arguing that the project is essential to national security. Michael examines the evolving rationale, claims that the ballroom would protect a secure underground military complex, and the alternatives now that the East Wing is already gone. Is the project necessary, excessive, or simply too far along to stop? Listen here, then vote! And be sure to rate, review, and share this podcast.
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  The New Vaccine Rules Have Parents Asking: Who Can We Trust? 14.08.2026 27λ

  Michael asks a deceptively simple question: Should parents have the final say on their child’s vaccines? Dr. Brian McDonough joins to examine the Trump administration’s changes to childhood vaccine recommendations, the science behind the longstanding MMR schedule, rising measles concerns, and a growing crisis of trust in government health agencies. Plus, callers weigh in on where parental choice ends and public health begins.
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  Today's Poll Question: Should Grades Still Matter? 14.08.2026 14λ

  Should grades still matter? As the University of Michigan prepares to replace traditional grades with pass/no-credit marks for first-semester students, Michael examines why we started grading students in the first place—and whether grades encourage achievement or get in the way of learning. Is rethinking the GPA smart education reform, or are we simply coddling students?
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  Trump’s Vaccine Changes Put Parental Choice to the Test 13.08.2026 24λ

  Should parents have the final say on their child’s vaccines? Michael examines how the debate over parental choice has shifted following President Trump’s changes to childhood vaccine recommendations. Dr. Brian McDonough, Medical Editor for 1010 WINS (New York) and KYW (Philadelphia), joins Michael to explain what the changes mean, why he believes they aren’t supported by new science, and why his trust in government health guidance has eroded.
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  Today's Poll Question: Should Parents Have the Final Say on Their Child’s Vaccines? 13.08.2026 12λ

  President Trump’s move to reduce the number of universally recommended childhood vaccines has put parental choice back at the center of the vaccine debate. Michael Smerconish asks where parental rights end when a child’s health is at stake, and whether people’s views on who should decide have changed along with the politics.
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  Trump, Air Force One & the Democratic Party’s Socialist Future 12.08.2026 22λ

  Michael is joined by Mark Halperin to unpack two big political stories: what the latest primary results really say about the rise of democratic socialism inside the Democratic Party, and the unanswered questions surrounding a reported threat to Air Force One. Who traveled with President Trump after he was moved to another aircraft, who was left behind—and was the story leaked on purpose? Plus, a debate over polling, Trump’s inner circle, presidential security and the role of the White House press pool.
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  Today's Poll Question: Is It Fair To Blame President Trump For The AF1 Decoy Operation, A Security Decision He Says Was Made By The Secret Service? 12.08.2026 15λ

  President Trump says the Secret Service ordered the Air Force One decoy operation. But a revealing Clinton-era precedent raises a bigger question: could the White House have said no?
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  Trump’s Air Force One Deception: Necessary Security or Dangerous Decoy? 11.08.2026 33λ

  President Trump boarded Air Force One in full view of the cameras—but he wasn’t on it when it took off. Facing a reported Iranian assassination threat, Trump was secretly moved by catering truck to another aircraft while White House staff and journalists continued their journey believing the president was aboard. Michael asks: Were they being used as decoys? Was the Washington Post right to reveal the operation? And what does a former Secret Service agent say really happened?
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  Today's Poll Question: Was It Appropriate To Leave Press and Staff Aboard AF1 When Trump Was Removed Due To Iran Threat? 11.08.2026 16λ

  A credible Iranian threat forced Trump into a secret Air Force One switch. But reporters and staff were left aboard the original plane. Smart security—or were they used as decoys? Michael puts the question to you.
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  Why Everyone Is Suddenly Fighting About the WNBA 10.08.2026 29λ

  A viral WNBA foul sends Michael down a rabbit hole: Are race and politics really driving the controversy surrounding Caitlin Clark and the league—or are fans being fed a misleading narrative? Howard Megdal, author of Becoming Caitlin Clark, joins Michael to separate perception from data. Plus, the conversation expands to Angel Reese, Sophie Cunningham, transgender athletes, media coverage, and why the WNBA has suddenly become another front in America’s culture wars.
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  Today's Poll Question: Will The Strait of Hormuz Be Open On (Midterm) Election Day? 10.08.2026 12λ

  Can Iran outlast Trump? Michael examines whether Tehran can keep the Strait of Hormuz closed through the midterms—and what it could mean for oil prices and American politics.
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  Inside the Unsolved Disappearance of Nancy Guthrie 07.08.2026 22λ

  Six months after Nancy Guthrie vanished from her Tucson-area home, investigators appear no closer to solving the case. Michael speaks with Wall Street Journal reporter Valerie Bauerlein about the ransom notes, surveillance footage, early law-enforcement missteps, and the baffling lack of a breakthrough. How can someone vanish without a trace—and will the mystery of Savannah Guthrie’s mother ever be solved?
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  Today's Poll Question: Does Donald Trump Really Believe The 2020 Election Was Stolen From Him? 07.08.2026 12λ

  Does Donald Trump actually believe the 2020 election was stolen—or does he know he lost? Michael examines the evidence, the psychology, and a question that may never have a definitive answer.
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  Nick Saban, Bipolar Disorder and the Mental Health Crisis in College Sports 06.08.2026 26λ

  Michael sits down with OnBalance founder and former college quarterback Walt Norley for a candid conversation about bipolar disorder, the pressures facing student-athletes and the mental-health crisis unfolding on college campuses. Norley shares stories involving Nick Saban and Tony Dorsett, explains why athletes are often reluctant to seek help, and offers parents practical questions to ask about a school’s mental-health resources. Original air date 6 August 2026.
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  Today's Poll Question: Are Democrats having their own MAGA moment? 06.08.2026 13λ

  Today's Poll Question at Smerconish.com: Are Democrats having their own Maga moment? Abdul El-Sayed’s narrow Michigan Democratic Senate primary victory may reveal something larger than an ideological shift. Michael examines how anger at party leadership, frustration with the establishment and distrust of traditional ideas about electability are fueling a Democratic insurgency. Drawing comparisons to Donald Trump’s takeover of the Republican Party, he explores El-Sayed’s support among college towns, affluent counties and Arab communities—as well as Haley Stevens’ strength with older Black voters. Is this simply a progressive breakthrough, or the beginning of a MAGA-style revolt on the left? Listen. Vote. Rate. Review. Share.
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  Mark Halperin’s New 2028 Rankings: Shapiro Surges to No. 1 05.08.2026 29λ

  Mark Halperin unveils his latest rankings of the potential 2028 Democratic presidential field—and there is a new name at No. 1. Michael presses the political analyst and "Wide World of News" publisher on why Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro has moved ahead of Gavin Newsom, where Mark Kelly fits into the race, and whether the Democratic primary could become a battle between the party’s establishment and progressive wings. Then, listeners weigh in with their own preferred candidates and predictions for 2028. Original air date 5 August 2026.