Shows / The Smerconish Podcast
The Smerconish Podcast
Spirited discussions of government, politics, and current events without predictable left/right bias. The Smerconish Podcast is for Independent Minds. The Michael Smerconish Program airs live on SiriusXM's POTUS Channel 9AM-12PM ET and replays 9PM-12AM East, Monday-Friday.
Episodes
- The Smerconish Podcast
Is the Trump Era About to End? Doug Sosnik's Stunning Midterm Forecast
Is the Trump era nearing its end? veteran Democratic strategist and former Clinton White House adviser Doug Sosnik joins Michael for a revealing, data-driven…
- The Smerconish Podcast
Today's Poll Question: Is Recruiting A Candidate With Your Opponent’s Name A Dirty Trick Or Fair Game?
A dirty political trick or just smart campaign strategy? A stunning New York Times investigation reveals an alleged scheme involving Democrats recruiting a…
- The Smerconish Podcast
Mark Halperin: An October Surprise Could Change EVERYTHING Before Election Day
With Election Day just days away, could an October Surprise change everything? Veteran political analyst Mark Halperin joins Michael for a final look at the…
- The Smerconish Podcast
Today's Poll Question: Will AI do more good or harm in your lifetime?
Today's Poll Question at Smerconish.com: Will AI do more good or harm in your lifetime? Artificial intelligence could cure cancer, fight Alzheimer's, and…
- The Smerconish Podcast
Can Trump Strip Ilhan Omar of Her Citizenship? Immigration Attorney Explains
Can President Donald Trump really strip Congresswoman Ilhan Omar of her U.S. citizenship—and potentially have her deported? As the Trump administration…
- The Smerconish Podcast
Today's Poll Question: Do We Vote Our Values—or Just Follow Our Demographics?
Today's Poll Question at Smerconish.com: Which drives voters more, their demographics or their values? We like to believe our votes reflect our values. But…
- The Smerconish Podcast
This Democrat Is Fighting For School Choice
Should taxpayer dollars fund schools—or follow students? Pennsylvania State Senator Anthony Hardy Williams is a Democrat who's breaking with his party on…
- The Smerconish Podcast
Today's Poll Question: How will the midterm elections end for the House?
Today's Poll Question at Smerconish.com: It takes 218 seats to control the House. How will the midterms end? a) Republicans keep control, b) Democrats win…
- The Smerconish Podcast
Can We Agree: Data Centers In Your Town
Subscribe to the Smerconish YouTube channel to never miss an episode. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our…
- The Smerconish Podcast
Today's Poll Question: How will J.D. Vance's defending of Ramaswamy's attack ad affect his '28 GOP nomination chances?
Today's Poll Question at Smerconish.com: Did JD Vance help or hurt his chances of winning the 2028 GOP nomination by defending Ramaswamy's ad? Vice President…
- The Smerconish Podcast
Are the Kids Alright? Michael Smerconish’s Urgent Message to America’s Youth
Are the kids alright? After joining former RNC Chairman Michael Steele for a conversation with 600 students at Pennsylvania's Hill School, Michael shares his…
- The Smerconish Podcast
Today's Poll Question: Will Ramaswamy's Attack Ad Using His Rival's Mother Help Or Hurt Him?
Today's Poll Question at Smerconish.com: Ramaswamy's ad using his rival's mother will: a) help him, b) hurt him, or c) make no difference. Vivek Ramaswamy's…
- The Smerconish Podcast
Will Trump Endorse JD Vance in 2028? Halperin Reveals What Vance Told Him
Will JD Vance run for president in 2028, and would Donald Trump immediately endorse him? 2WAY Editor-in-Chief Mark Halperin joins Michael with exclusive…
- The Smerconish Podcast
Today's Poll Question: Will Europe's wave of violent protests reach America soon?
Today's Poll Question at Smerconish.com: Will Europe's wave of violent protests reach America soon? France is experiencing a wave of unrest, with protests…
- The Smerconish Podcast
Can We Agree: Has Trump Changed Presidency Forever?
Subscribe to the Smerconish YouTube channel to never miss an episode of Can We Agree here. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for…
- The Smerconish Podcast
Today's Poll Question: Smartphones vs. School Pressure...What's Really Making Kids Anxious?
Listen to Michael's conversation with Dr. Peter Gray on his new book "Restoring Childhood" here. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com…
- The Smerconish Podcast
Can We Agree: Lindsay Clancy Trial Holdout Juror
Subscribe to the Smerconish YouTube channel here. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of…
- The Smerconish Podcast
Today's Poll Question: Could a Democratic Congress rein in President Trump?
Today's Poll Question at Smerconish.com: Could a Democratic Congress rein in President Trump? The 2026 midterm election 'concludes' two weeks from tomorrow…
- The Smerconish Podcast
Can We Agree: Regulating AI
Subscribe to the Smerconish YouTube channel here. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of…
- The Smerconish Podcast
Today's Poll Question: Which is the bigger midterm prize, the House or the Senate?
Today's Poll Question at Smerconish.com: Which is the bigger midterm prize, the House or the Senate? Election Day is just over two weeks away - Michael breaks…
- The Smerconish Podcast
GOP Midterm Disaster? Mark Halperin Warns It Could Be Worse Than Anyone Thinks
With less than three weeks until the 2026 midterm elections, are Republicans facing a much bigger defeat than anyone expects? Political analyst Mark Halperin…
- The Smerconish Podcast
Who Cut Ukraine’s Starlink - Trump, Musk, Both, or a Glitch?
Today's Poll Question at Smerconish.com: Who cut Ukraine's Starlink service this week? Was it Trump? Was it Musk? Was it both or was it a glitch? As Ukrainian…
- The Smerconish Podcast
Can We Agree: Democratic Socialism
Subscribe to the Smerconish YouTube channel to never miss an episode of CAN WE AGREE. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for…
- The Smerconish Podcast
Today's Poll Question: Will the midterm election results cause the president to make significant changes to his cabinet and/or policies?
Today's Poll Question at Smerconish.com: Will the midterm election results cause the president to make significant changes to his cabinet and/or policies? With…
- The Smerconish Podcast
Neil Bush on What America Has Lost Since His Father Was President
What would George H.W. Bush think of today's deeply divided America? Michael sits down with the former president's son, Neil Bush, to reflect on his father's…
- The Smerconish Podcast
Today's Poll Question: Will Elon Musk’s $276 million in donations keep the Senate in Republican hands?
Today's Poll Question at Smerconish.com: Will Elon Musk's $276 million in donations keep the Senate in Republican hands? With Republicans facing a difficult…
- The Smerconish Podcast
Is Trump About to Expand the Iran War? Admiral Stavridis Weighs In
Deadly Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia have put President Trump at a dangerous crossroads in the war with Iran. Retired four-star Admiral and former NATO…
- The Smerconish Podcast
Today's Poll Question: Is serving in public office today worth the risk of violence?
Today's Poll Question at Smerconish.com: Is serving in public office today worth the risk of violence? Death threats, assassination attempts, and escalating…
- The Smerconish Podcast
The Cornell Rape Case: Are We Missing the Real Problem?
What really went wrong at Cornell? Michael speaks with Hanna Stotland, an educational crisis consultant who has handled 363 campus sexual misconduct cases…
- The Smerconish Podcast
Today's Poll Question: Are you in favor of the death penalty for a person convicted of murder?
Today's Poll Question at Smerconish.com: Are you in favor of the death penalty for a person convicted of murder? As executions make headlines in Texas and…
- The Smerconish Podcast
Having Second Thoughts About the Death Penalty
A botched execution in Tennessee, a firing squad in Texas, record-setting executions in Florida, and a possible mass commutation of death sentences in…
- The Smerconish Podcast
Today's Poll Question: As the media has gotten more diverse, has the bias of the “Dominant Media” against Trump worsened?
Today's Poll Question at Smerconish.com: Do you agree with Mark Halperin that as the media has gotten more diverse, the bias of the dominant media against…
- The Smerconish Podcast
Mark Halperin: The Media Is Trying to Destroy Trump
Is the press giving Donald Trump and Republicans a fair shake? 2WAY Political Analyst Mark Halperin joins Michael Smerconish to argue that America’s “dominant…
- The Smerconish Podcast
Today's Poll Question: Who should remain anonymous in a rape accusation case, prior to a verdict?
Today's Poll Question at Smerconish.com: Prior to a verdict, who should remain anonymous in a rape accusation case? Only the accuser, both the accuser and the…
- The Smerconish Podcast
Did Russia Just Have a Plague Lab Leak? Annie Jacobsen Sounds the Alarm
Listen to Michael's Book Club Podcast interview with Annie Jacobson on her latest book "Biological War: A Scenario" Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company…
- The Smerconish Podcast
Today's Poll Question: Should NY AG Letitia James be the person to investigate the Cornell rape case?
Today's Poll Question at Smerconish.com: Should New York Attorney General Letitia James be the person to investigate the Cornell rape case? Michael examines…
- The Smerconish Podcast
Too Drunk to Consent? The Law Complicating the Cornell Rape Case
The latest developments in the Cornell rape case raise a complicated question: When is someone too intoxicated to legally consent to sex? Michael breaks down…
- The Smerconish Podcast
Today's Poll Question: Is America over-policed or under-policed?
Today's Poll Question at Smerconish.com: Is America over-policed or under-policed? Michael explores a provocative argument from Malcolm Gladwell’s new book…
- The Smerconish Podcast
The Midterm Map Is Shifting
With the 2026 midterms just weeks away, Mark Halperin joins Michael to break down the battle for control of the House and Senate—and why races in places like…
- The Smerconish Podcast
Today's Poll Question: Will the renewed investigation at Cornell result in any criminal convictions?
Today's Poll Question at Smerconish.com: Will the renewed investigation at Cornell result in any criminal convictions? Michael revisits the Cornell sexual…
- The Smerconish Podcast
Cornell Rape Case: You Can’t Unring the Bell
New details have emerged in the Cornell rape case, including reporting about Jane Doe’s statements to police, text messages after the alleged incident, and…
- The Smerconish Podcast
Today's Poll Question: Should AI designers consider religion when programming morality?
Today's Poll Question at Smerconish.com: Should AI designers consider religious doctrine when programming morality? As artificial intelligence becomes a source…
- The Smerconish Podcast
How Biased Is Michael Smerconish? The Numbers Are In
How biased is Michael? The latest Ad Fontes Media Bias Chart is out, and Michael is more than happy to share his report card: A Blutarsky. He breaks down where…
- The Smerconish Podcast
Today's Poll Question: Should Billionaires Pay a Wealth Tax—or Only Taxes on Income?
Today's Poll Question at Smerconish.com: Should the government tax the wealth of billionaires, or stick to taxing income? Michael examines the growing debate…
- The Smerconish Podcast
The Cornell Rape Case Is Reopened. Can Prosecutors Actually Win?
A newly filed civil lawsuit has put an alleged 2024 sexual assault at Cornell University back in the spotlight—and prompted the local district attorney to…
- The Smerconish Podcast
Today's Poll Question: After President Trump leaves office, will presidential power go back to what it was before?
John Yoo is the Emanuel S. Heller Professor of Law at the University of California, Berkeley. William (Bill) Galston holds the Ezra K. Zilkha Chair in…
- The Smerconish Podcast
Is Trump About to Cost Republicans Congress?
Early voting begins in just a few days in many states, so the midterm elections are underway. Political strategist Doug Sosnik joins Michael to break down the…
- The Smerconish Podcast
Today's Poll Question: Should Stay-at-Home Parents Get the Same Federal Child Care Aid as Daycare Users?
Today's Poll Question at Smerconish.com: Should stay-at-home parents get the same federal child care aid as parents who use daycare? Michael examines a…
- The Smerconish Podcast
Can the Dignity Index Fix America’s Toxic Politics?
Can Americans disagree politically without treating each other with contempt? Michael speaks with Special Olympics International Chairman Tim Shriver about the…
- The Smerconish Podcast
Today's Poll Question: Would A Bernie/AOC Ticket Be Viable In 2028?
Bernie Sanders and AOC… on the same 2028 presidential ticket? Michael examines Mark Halperin’s provocative prediction that the two progressive stars could team…
- The Smerconish Podcast
Should Parents Choose the Best School—or Try to Fix a Failing One?
Nikole Hannah-Jones made a principled decision to send her daughter to a struggling Brooklyn public school—but a decade later, she’s confronting the…
- The Smerconish Podcast
Today's Poll Question: Which Is More Likely: AI Ends Humanity or AI Cures Cancer?
Will AI destroy humanity—or save millions of lives? Michael explores the growing fears surrounding artificial intelligence alongside remarkable examples of AI…
- The Smerconish Podcast
Bernie and AOC in 2028? Mark Halperin Floats a Stunning Ticket
Could Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez join forces in 2028? Mark Halperin joins Michael Smerconish and floats the provocative possibility of a…
- The Smerconish Podcast
Today's Poll Question: What was the most consequential U.S. presidential election of the last 50 years?
Listen to Dana Bash talk about her book "The Elections That Changed the World: Fifteen Pivotal Moments That Shaped How We Live" on The Book Club with Michael…
- The Smerconish Podcast
America Wanted a Trump-Mamdani Fight. It Didn’t Get One
President Donald Trump and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani are about as politically different as it gets—so what should we make of their surprisingly…
- The Smerconish Podcast
Today's Poll Question: Trump and Mamdani are working together. Who's getting played?
Today's Poll Question at Smerconish.com: Trump and Mamdani working together. Who's getting played: Mamdani, Trump, Both, or Neither? Michael connects the…
- The Smerconish Podcast
AI Could Destroy Us—or Save Us
Michael opens with retired four-star Admiral James Stavridis for a rapid-fire look at Iran, the Houthis, Ukraine, and the growing danger of humans weaponizing…
- The Smerconish Podcast
Today's Poll Question: Is a candidate's civility toward opponents a factor in your vote?
Today's Poll Question at Smerconish.com: Is a candidate's civility toward opponents a factor in your vote? Michael Smerconish explores whether respect…
- The Smerconish Podcast
How Bucks County Became Ground Zero for America’s Political Divide
'Bucks County, USA' premieres on PBS on September 20, 2026. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection…
- The Smerconish Podcast
Today's Poll Question: Should Robert Kraft Have Pressured Ed Sheeran to Remove Macklemore From His Tour?
Should Robert Kraft have pressured Ed Sheeran to drop Macklemore from his tour? Michael breaks down the controversy surrounding Macklemore’s “Free Palestine”…