SmartHERNews

Summary President-elect Trump's nominee for Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, appears before the Senate Armed Services Committee. Hegseth, a veteran, author and former Fox News host, faced tough questions on his personal and professional record. Jenna breaks down the three key takeaways of this four-hour hearing. Takeaways The Secretary of Defense is a historically significant role. The hear...

✓ 2:00: Is it a full moon?  ✓ 3:00: An important caveat about timing in this week’s news cycle.   ✓ 5:00: Ceasefire talks happening in the Middle East.   ✓ 7:00: The Jobs Report.   ✓ 10:00: How does a surge at the border impact the labor market?  ✓ 15:00: Pres.-Elect Trump’s recent sentencing and why it matters.   ✓ 24:00: A quick caveat on eggs, always a lightning-rod topic for SmartHER News.  ✓...

Your Top 5 News Stories To Watch In 2025: 1:03: Are we seeing a generational shift in the Middle East? Who will lead Syria and how does this change relationships all over the globe? 4:45: What does the border look like under a new Trump administration? Highlights from a new annual report from Immigration and Customs Enforcement. 9:00: What does MAHA (Make America Healthy Again) look like in action...

We first published this interview in 2023 ~ celebrating 200 years of this popular poem's first, mysterious, appearance. We thought in this busy news year, you might appreciate some more insight on this holiday legend! ---- "Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the house ..." These lines first appeared in a New York state newspaper on December 23, 1823. The author? Originall...

✓ 1:00: The imagery of doves as a symbol for peace.  ✓ 3:00: A quick, fun anecdote about a camel and our nation’s first president.  ✓ 5:00: Monday's breaking news: a school shooting in Wisconsin.  ✓ 11:00: Why details matter and what we’re watching for next.   ✓ 19:00: A key takeaway that needs more attention on how exactly “ Targeted violence is preventable.”   ✓ 23:00: A story gaining speed:...

An interview from our holiday vault! Be charmed by now 93-year-old Mrs. Koch - the "Chief Elf" of one Santa Claus, Indiana. ~~~~~~~ Have you heard of Santa Claus, Indiana? Founded in  1856,  this town serves as one of the  main destinations for "Dear Santa" letters from all over the world . And this happened, in many ways, because one family took the reins (no reindeer jokes ... ye...

✓ 2:00: The Manhattan Murder Mystery: Why is a McDonald’s in Pennsylvania making national news?  ✓ 7:00: We shift to an important international story. The fall of a 50-year regime in Syria.  ✓ 9:00: Why Syria’s geographic position matters.   ✓ 12:00: War Correspondent Hollie McKay joins us to discuss her previous experiences in Syria.  ✓ 14:00: Hollie’s take on this important interntional story. ...

Does the rule of law work in America? Two stories this week highlight this question in unique ways: the pardon of the President's son, Hunter Biden & the murder of the UnitedHealthcare CEO.  We take a closer at this developing criminal investigation: the healthcare industry & the clues of the crime itself.  SUPPORT OUR MISSION: If you’d like to help support SmartHER News’ mission of a free, in...

Plus ~ "Brain Rot"  ✓ 2:00: Did Thoreau foreshadow doom-scrolling?  ✓ 6:00: ‘tis the season for presidential pardons.   ✓ 7:00: A PSA on these “historic” times.   ✓ 9:00: An underreported detail when it comes to Pres. Biden’s son Hunter legal troubles.   ✓ 12:00: The cases. And a couple caveats.   ✓ 15:00: Let’s dig into pardons.   ✓ 23:00: “A full and unconditional pardon” and why that la...

Inspired by the those who turned to us post-election and shared that relationships have become frayed or severed by the current political environment. So we decided to present a possible solution ... just in time for Thanksgiving: We called a family meeting. In the first annual SmartHER News Family Meeting, we address the tough topics head on - taking your questions on president-elect Trump and cr...

The news you need to know for the week ahead: ---  ✓ 1:00: What we're watching: G20 sideline convos and Congressional Hearings.   ✓ 5:00: #ICYMI Aliens.  ✓ 11:00: UAP = Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena.  ✓ 12:00: Looking ahead ... funding the federal government.   ✓ 13:00: Pres-Elect Trump’s team and why we’re not covering it, yet.   ✓ 15:00: Three things to keep in mind about Cabinet Nominees...

Heterodoxy becomes the word of the moment! We break down what it means and why it matters. And ~ Why is the media in focus for its intersection with American politics? We provide an example of "media bias" and break down the difference between "independent" journalism and nonpartisan.    Plus ~ one final super moon to howl at in 2024.   If you’d like to help support SmartHER News’...

Here's the SCOOP on this week's news:  ✓ 2:00: Veterans Day.   ✓ 5:00: The history of the holiday ... and honoring something bigger.   ✓ 10:00: Election Results takeaways.   ✓ 11:00: Are the exit polls correct, and do they reflect America overall?  ✓ 12:00: Republican momentum.   ✓ 14:00: We do not have certified results.   ✓ 15:00: Context re: number of voters in 2020 vs. 2024.   ✓ 16:00:...

A fun, free-flowing conversation wtih writer, podcaster, and political commentator Mary Katharine Ham on what Democrats and Republicans can learn from the election of 2024. Will the result of this election shake the political foundation of either party? Plus, your questions and thoughts on the media's role in the current state of affairs. SUPPORT A FREE PRESS:   If you’d like to help support S...

A look at the results, the illusive politicial process and (traditional) next steps.  Plus: Early indications and pontifications on what motivated voters. Quick Reminder: We have selected a new set of "employees" in this election cycle. What is your dream for America?  Thank you for your support! Notice an ad-free podcast? Drop a tip in our tip jar to keep us ad-free! www. SmartHERNews.com...

Former Pres. Trump wins North Carolina while questions remain about the picture emerging from Election Day. A quick summary of the major themes surfacing so far and what to watch for next! Plus ~ What George Washington wrote to his nephew that caught our attention (and a warning from John Adams). Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/smarthernews/exclusive-content Advertising Inquiries:...

Our SmartHER 8 p.m. central broadcast on Election Night 2024. We set the table for the night ahead as polls close and results roll in: What to watch. Why it matters. And an easy way to understand, explain and remember the Electoral College. SUPPORT OUR MISSION     If you’d like to help support SmartHER News’ mission of a free, independent, nonpartisan press –  here’s how you can become a SCOOP ins...

You take the "lede"in this week’s SCOOP!---  ✓ 0:00: Intro.   ✓ 2:00: What does “down ballot” mean?  ✓ 4:00: Friday’s Jobs Report.   ✓ 7:00: How many times did the word “election” come up in Earnings calls?  ✓ 10:00: What happens if there is an Electoral tie?  ✓ 13:00: We surveyed the SmartHER News community, asking “Who are you voting for ... and why?” Jenna's 3 Takeaways.   ✓ 20:00:...

Have we booked a ticket to “Crazytown”??? Is it one-way??  Is it round-trip?? Let's hope for the latter as we count down the minutes til Election Day.  We’re pulling back the curtain on the media’s role in calling races, the real process of election results, and how editorial choices get made—even in the face of a headline like “Baby-Biting President.” GET THE FULL SCOOP: https://www.scoop.sma...

What to know.  What to watch.  How it works. Plus ~ the " paths to victory " for both candidates on voting day 2024. All you need to know in one conversation with the co-founder of Real Clear Politics, Tom Bevan. Hear the backstory to the industry leading Real Clear Politics Polling Average and what to watch for (and why it matters) on election night. Thank you for your support of nonparti...

Get the SCOOP on this week’s news.   --- ✓ 3:00: A Capitol Hill Ghost Story.  ✓ 8:00: An Important Halloween Head’s Up.    ✓ 10:00: 3 Foreign Policy Stories to Know... first up, Israel and Iran.   ✓ 12:00: Russia and Ukraine. And why North Korea has entered the conversation.  ✓ 14:00: Islamic terrorist groups in Africa.   ✓ 16:00: We switch gears to domestic politics.    ✓ 18:00: Swing states, str...

Two reports on former Pres. Trump dominate the airwaves - Should they? What to consider in the march to election day. Plus the news you need to know for this week: "cuddle caps" (a hug limit at airports ruffles some lovers), notable trends in home sales and at the U.S. border, plus: $800 million+ in military aid promised to Ukraine (with a $50 billion loan). Curious your thoughts on this r...

✓ 2:00 A remarkable discovery went for 9 million dollars at auction ... a special reminder of the American story and our political process.  ✓ 9:00: What to know about polls.  ✓ 10:00: A heads up about the timing of election results.  ✓ 12:00: Fear as a campaign strategy ... on both sides.    ✓ 13:00: We hear from Democratic Political Strategist, David Plouffe.    ✓ 16:00: We hear from a Senior Ca...

Five years ago, Justin James and his wife Amanda opened a shoe factory outside of Asheville, North Carolina - a realization of Justin's life-long dream to design and manufacture the " best sneaker made in America .”     In fact, their company, "Opie Way," was having its best year to-date ... until Hurricane Helene .   With raw candor, Justin walks us through the early days of entre...

If you could create a federal holiday ... what would it be and when would it be?  And what we learned from the maker of Fruit Loops about the company's ingredients here at home and abroad. ✓ 0:00 Some quick context on the history of federal holidays. ✓ 4:00 SpaceX’s Starship Rocket.   ✓ 7:00 Space innovation and national security.   ✓ 11:00 The recent arrest of an Afghan national for an allege...