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 American Age Over?
Has America’s era of global dominance come to an end? Michael contrasts two very different assessments of U.S. power—one arguing that the “American Age” is…
- The Smerconish Podcast
Today's Poll Question: Was the Boston Globe right to name the Clancy holdout juror?
Today's Poll Question at Smerconish.com: Was the Boston Globe right to name the Clancy holdout juror? Yes or no? Michael examines the fallout after the Boston…
- The Smerconish Podcast
Mark Halperin on 2028—and the AI Issue Nobody Can Ignore
Michael talks with political analyst Mark Halperin about the developing 2028 Democratic presidential field, including the potential contenders already…
- The Smerconish Podcast
Today's Poll Question: Who should regulate artificial intelligence?
Today's Poll Question at Smerconish.com: Who should regulate artificial intelligence? As AI advances at breathtaking speed, the debate over who should set the…
- The Smerconish Podcast
9/11 Death Investigator: Stop Calling Them "Jumpers"
For 25 years, we’ve heard the people who fell from the Twin Towers on 9/11 described as “jumpers.” Former New York City death investigator Barbara Butcher…
- The Smerconish Podcast
Today's Poll Question: Is the Democratic Party's future democratic socialism?
Today's Poll Question at Smerconish.com: Is the Democratic Party's future democratic socialism? Michael examines the ideological battle shaping the Democratic…
- The Smerconish Podcast
AI Could Kill Us All? The People Building It Are Warning Us
The people building artificial intelligence are sounding increasingly dire warnings about what it could become—but Michael says the bigger story is what AI is…
- The Smerconish Podcast
Today's Poll Question: Who REALLY Runs The American Economy?
Today's Poll Question at Smerconish.com: Who really runs the American economy? Is it big tech, big banks and big oil or the millionaires on Main Street?…
- The Smerconish Podcast
Bonus Content: Everything That Didn't Fit In Our 9/11 25th Anniversary Tribute
On the 25th anniversary of September 11, Michael Smerconish presents an expanded companion podcast episode to his three-hour SiriusXM POTUS tribute — featuring…
- The Smerconish Podcast
Never Forget: 25th Anniversary of September 11th, 2001
Twenty-five years after September 11, Michael Smerconish presents a special three-hour remembrance of the day that changed America — and asks what “Never…
- The Smerconish Podcast
The Sam Bankman-Fried Case Isn’t What You Think
Sam Bankman-Fried, the founder of cryptocurrency exchange FTX, was convicted of fraud after prosecutors argued that billions of dollars in customer deposits…
- The Smerconish Podcast
Today's Poll Question: Will Trump’s $5,000 Dividend Help Republicans—or Backfire?
Today's Poll Question at Smerconish.com: Will Trump's $5000 dividend promise help Republicans in the midterms or will it backfire? President Trump is promising…
- The Smerconish Podcast
"The Chaos Is The Point": Chris Coons Sounds Alarm on Trump’s Mail-In Voting Plan
Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE) joins Michael to discuss President Trump’s push to change mail-in voting, the battle for control of the House in the 2026 midterms, and…
- The Smerconish Podcast
Today's Poll Question: Who Wins The House In November?
Today's Poll Question at Smerconish.com: Who wins the House in November - Democrats or Republicans? With the 2026 midterms approaching, Michael Smerconish…
- The Smerconish Podcast
Lindsay Clancy: Why Yale Law School's Jed Rubenfeld Predicts a Plea Deal
Why did the Lindsay Clancy case end in a mistrial—and what happens next? Michael speaks with Yale Law professor Jed Rubenfeld about the unusual Massachusetts…
- The Smerconish Podcast
Today's Poll Question: "Would America be better off as two countries?"
Today's Poll Question at Smerconish.com: "Would America be better off as two countries?" Could America’s political divisions eventually become national…
- The Smerconish Podcast
What Your College Major Says About Your Politics
Can your college major predict your politics—or even how religious you are? Michael talks with Ryan Burge, a professor of practice at Washington University in…
- The Smerconish Podcast
The Government Took His $95,000 Plane Over a Six-Pack of Beer
A six-pack of beer could help redefine the Constitution’s ban on excessive fines. Michael breaks down the extraordinary Supreme Court case of an Alaska bush…
- The Smerconish Podcast
Josh Shapiro Says “Hell No” to Data Centers — The Developer Responds
Data centers are becoming one of America’s hottest political fights. Michael talks with Pennsylvania developer Brian O’Neill, who is seeking to build $18…
- The Smerconish Podcast
America Is Divided. Except at Costco.
In an increasingly fragmented America, could Costco be one of the last places that still brings everyone together? Michael explores how the warehouse giant…
- The Smerconish Podcast
The Truth About Trump’s Tariffs on Canada: Former Ambassador David L. Cohen Explains
Former U.S. Ambassador to Canada David L. Cohen joins Michael to unpack the escalating U.S.-Canada trade fight, President Trump’s tariffs, and whether Canada…
- The Smerconish Podcast
Today's Poll Question: Would You Let A Child Of Yours Play Tackle Football?
Football season is back—but would you let your kid take the field? Michael weighs the alarming new CTE data, the dangers of youth tackle football, and the…
- The Smerconish Podcast
Meta’s $18 Billion Reckoning: Are We All Addicted?
Meta has agreed to an historic nearly $18 billion settlement over claims that Facebook and Instagram harm kids—but Michael says the story is bigger than…
- The Smerconish Podcast
Today's Poll Question: Are the U.S. and Canada still allies?
Today's Poll Question at Smerconish.com: Are the US and Canada still allies? For generations, the U.S.-Canada relationship was one Americans rarely had reason…
- The Smerconish Podcast
Was Dolly Parton the Last Person America Agreed On?
Michael remembers Dolly Parton and asks what made her such a rare, universally beloved American figure - she did what politics can't: Unite us. Bob Crawford of…
- The Smerconish Podcast
Today's Poll Question: Which Is Worse? Building Data Centers, or Losing The AI Race to China?
Today's Poll Question at Smerconish.com: Which is worse, building data centers or losing to China the AI race they power? Michael examines the growing backlash…
- The Smerconish Podcast
Why America’s $40 Trillion Debt Matters to Your Wallet
America’s national debt has crossed a staggering $40 trillion — but what does that actually mean for you? Michael sits down with Michael A. Peterson, Chairman…
- The Smerconish Podcast
Today's Poll Question: When a Party Can’t Win, Should It Get Out of the Way For A Strong Independent Candidate?
Today's Poll Question at Smerconish.com: In a state where one party can't win a Senate seat, should that party step aside for a strong independent? Michael…
- The Smerconish Podcast
Charles Barkley Unfiltered: Politics, the WNBA & 2028
Charles Barkley joins Michael Smerconish for a wide-ranging, unfiltered conversation about America’s political divide, the WNBA and transgender athletes…
- The Smerconish Podcast
Today's Poll Question: If the Public Can Attend, Should Cameras Have a Right to Be There Too?
Today's Poll Question at Smerconish.com: Should cameras be allowed in every government proceeding that the public has a right to attend? Today Michael makes…
- The Smerconish Podcast
Inside Trump’s Mysterious Air Force One Security Move
Michael talks with Steve Atkiss, former Special Assistant to President George W. Bush for Operations and a longtime presidential trip director, about the…
- The Smerconish Podcast
Today's Poll Question: Would You Pay Higher Taxes and Take Benefit Cuts to Fix the $40 Trillion Debt?
Today's Poll Question at Smerconish.com: Would you accept both higher taxes on yourself and reduced Social Security and Medicare benefits in order to reduce…
- The Smerconish Podcast
America Is $40 Trillion in Debt. Now What?
The U.S. national debt has crossed $40 trillion. So who pays the bill? Michael breaks down how America got here, revisits past efforts to rein in the debt, and…
- The Smerconish Podcast
Today's Poll Question: Is the Natalie Harp story Much Ado About Nothing?
Today's Poll Question at Smerconish.com: Is the Natalie Harp story Much Ado About Nothing? Jon Ossoff’s two-word reference to “Natalie” ignited a political and…
- The Smerconish Podcast
MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING: Mark Halperin on the Natalie Harp Firestorm
Michael is joined by Mark Halperin to unpack the sudden scrutiny surrounding President Trump aide Natalie Harp and the backlash to Senator Jon Ossoff’s…
- The Smerconish Podcast
Today's Poll Question: Should the U.S. grow or shrink its footprint in the Middle East?
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…
- The Smerconish Podcast
“The Strait Is Closed”: Admiral Stavridis on Iran, Trump and What Comes Next
Admiral James Stavridis joins Michael Smerconish to assess the escalating confrontation with Iran, why he says the Strait of Hormuz is effectively closed…
- The Smerconish Podcast
Today's Poll Question: Is the Jason Arday tragedy a story of affirmative action gone too far, or a racist witch hunt?
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…
- The Smerconish Podcast
Luigi Mangione Pleads Guilty — But Where Was the Remorse?
Michael Smerconish reacts to Luigi Mangione’s guilty plea in the killing of UnitedHealthcare executive Brian Thompson — and to what he says was notably…
- The Smerconish Podcast
Today's Poll Question: The White House East Wing has already been demolished. Should the Trump Ballroom now be built?
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…
- The Smerconish Podcast
The New Vaccine Rules Have Parents Asking: Who Can We Trust?
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…
- The Smerconish Podcast
Today's Poll Question: Should Grades Still Matter?
Should grades still matter? As the University of Michigan prepares to replace traditional grades with pass/no-credit marks for first-semester students, Michael…
- The Smerconish Podcast
Trump’s Vaccine Changes Put Parental Choice to the Test
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…
- The Smerconish Podcast
Today's Poll Question: Should Parents Have the Final Say on Their Child’s Vaccines?
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…
- The Smerconish Podcast
Trump, Air Force One & the Democratic Party’s Socialist Future
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…
- The Smerconish Podcast
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?
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…
- The Smerconish Podcast
Trump’s Air Force One Deception: Necessary Security or Dangerous Decoy?
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…
- The Smerconish Podcast
Today's Poll Question: Was It Appropriate To Leave Press and Staff Aboard AF1 When Trump Was Removed Due To Iran Threat?
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…
- The Smerconish Podcast
Why Everyone Is Suddenly Fighting About the WNBA
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…
- The Smerconish Podcast
Today's Poll Question: Will The Strait of Hormuz Be Open On (Midterm) Election Day?
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…
- The Smerconish Podcast
Inside the Unsolved Disappearance of Nancy Guthrie
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…
- The Smerconish Podcast
Today's Poll Question: Does Donald Trump Really Believe The 2020 Election Was Stolen From Him?
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…
- The Smerconish Podcast
Nick Saban, Bipolar Disorder and the Mental Health Crisis in College Sports
Michael sits down with OnBalance founder and former college quarterback Walt Norley for a candid conversation about bipolar disorder, the pressures facing…
- The Smerconish Podcast
Today's Poll Question: Are Democrats having their own MAGA moment?
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…
- The Smerconish Podcast
Mark Halperin’s New 2028 Rankings: Shapiro Surges to No. 1
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…
- The Smerconish Podcast
Today's Poll Question: Is the AI-driven economy a house of cards?
Today's Poll Question at Smerconish.com: Is the AI-driven economy a house of cards? Stocks are reaching historic highs as America’s largest technology…
- The Smerconish Podcast
The 2026 Midterms: Blue Wave Incoming?
Doug Sosnik joins Michael to break down the latest data on the 2026 midterms, explaining why history points toward a Democratic wave—even as polarization…
- The Smerconish Podcast
Today's Poll Question: Can Sanders-style Progressive Democrats Win General Elections In Swing States Like Michigan?
Today's poll tackles a question that could reshape the Democratic Party: Can a Sanders-style progressive win in a battleground state? Michael explores…
- The Smerconish Podcast
The Hidden Story Behind Todd Blanche's DOJ Confirmation
Should Dr. Anthony Fauci testify before Congress with immunity? Michael examines why nearly 50,000 poll voters overwhelmingly said yes, then unpacks the…
- The Smerconish Podcast
Today's Poll Question: Of These Threats, Which Worries You Most?
What keeps you up at night: nuclear war, AI, climate change—or a biological attack? What should we fear most? Michael previews his conversation with…