The Smerconish Podcast

Michael takes listeners on a spontaneous walking tour outside the White House, where demolition of the East Wing is making way for what’s being called the “Trump Ballroom.” From firsthand observations to reflections on history, tradition, and presidential legacy, Michael asks today’s poll question: Decades from now, will presidents be hosting parties there—or pretending it never happened? Place yo...

Mark Halperin is Editor-in-Chief at 2WAY , and host of Next Up with Mark Halperin. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Michael tackles a provocative poll question at Smerconish.com today: "Is it better for the national Democratic Party if Zohran Mamdani wins or loses in NYC?" Michael explores how the Mamdani campaign embodies the tug-of-war between progressives and centrists, and what that tension means for Democrats trying to win across swing districts. He adds commentary from The New York Times and Wall Street J...

Michael Smerconish sits down with Indivisible co-founder Ezra Levin, one of the organizers behind the nationwide “No Kings” rallies that drew millions around the globe. They discuss how humor and ridicule have become tools of resistance, the logistics of coordinating thousands of peaceful protests, and whether demonstrations can truly lead to political change. Then, Michael gets reaction from the...

A brutal poll question at Smerconish.com today: Should the Russia–Ukraine conflict be settled by accepting the current front lines as permanent? Michael breaks down why this option—awful for Ukraine—might still be the only “practical” endgame if the alternatives are endless attrition or dangerous escalation. Listen in for the case for a territorial “freeze” vs. the risks of arming Ukraine with lon...

In this episode, Michael Smerconish dives into the explosive debate over the nationwide “No Kings” rallies, which drew millions across America this past weekend. Two excellent voices join the conversation with very different takes: Colby Hall, founding editor of Mediaite, questions whether these protests accomplish anything beyond social media posts and self-satisfaction. Will Bunch, national opin...

Over 7 million protesters participated in "No Kings" protests across 2,600+ locations nationwide. Michael talks about this here and is asking you in today's Smerconish.com poll question: "Will the “No Kings” rallies lead to meaningful change? Listen to Michael offer dueling views from Colby Hall (Mediaite) and Will Bunch (Philly Inquirer), and then cast your ballot at Smerconish.com. Hosted by Sim...

Congresswoman Nancy Mace (R-SC) joins Michael Smerconish to discuss their recent joint appearance on HBO's 'Real Time with Bill Maher', the government shutdown, President Trump, and foreign policy — until a fiery exchange over transgender service members derails the conversation. After Mace abruptly ends the call, Jo Ellis, the decorated National Guard veteran and black hawk pilot at the center of...

Michael dives into today’s smerconish.com poll question: "Which indictment is strongest — John Bolton, James Comey, or Letitia James?" In this episode, Michael breaks down each case, weighs the legal and political stakes, and explains why he thinks one indictment clearly stands out. Plus, what “Show me the man, I’ll find the crime” really says about our justice system. Listen, vote, and rate and r...

This interview is part of Michael's ongoing "Mingle Project." Learn more here. Helen Woolley is a Professor of Landscape Architecture, Children's Environments and Society at the University of Sheffield. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Michael speaks with Professor Michael Polelle a Florida voter, and constitutional law scholar, who’s been fighting — solo — to overturn Florida’s closed primary system. His lawsuit argues that forcing voters to join a political party to participate in publicly funded primaries violates free speech and equal protection rights. The Supreme Court declined to hear his case, but the fight for open prim...

Will President Trump give Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine? That is today's poll question at Smerconish.com....and deliberately, Michael is asking "WILL" and not "SHOULD." With President Zelensky visiting the White House and global tensions rising, Michael unpacks what this decision could mean for U.S. foreign policy, NATO, and Trump’s stance toward Putin. Plus, Michael revisits the global debate over...

Mark Halperin is Editor-in-Chief of 2WAY and host of the Next Up podcast. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this episode, Michael asks you chilling question: “Agree or Disagree — Mitigating the risk of extinction from AI should be a global priority akin to the threat of pandemics and nuclear war.” Michael dives into the warnings from AI experts who argue that artificial superintelligence could mean the end of humanity. From OpenAI’s new video generator Sora to the blurring line between fact and ficti...

Michael runs through several major global headlines with retired Admiral James Stavridis, former Supreme Allied Commander of NATO. From Trump’s proposed Tomahawk missiles for Ukraine to the fragile peace in Gaza, Poland’s growing military power, and sending 'fat troops' home, the Admiral offers sharp, candid insights on America’s attention span, global stability, and the future of warfare. Origina...

If President Trump applied his Middle East peace strategies to America's political divide, would he succeed? With world leaders from all political perspectives praising Trump’s role in Gaza’s ceasefire, Michael explores whether that same deal-making could heal the deep fractures in U.S. politics — or if America is too divided for peace. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.ads...

Michael Smerconish talks with CNN’s Jeff Zeleny about a groundbreaking poll that reveals five distinct types of independent voters. From the "Disappointed Middle" to the "Checked Out," understanding these groups is essential to understanding modern American politics. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data...

A historic hostage deal sees 20 Israelis released in exchange for 250 Palestinian prisoners. Michael Smerconish asks the tough question: Is this kind of negotiation justified to facilitate peace? He breaks down the facts, shares powerful insights, and reveals what listeners like you had to say in today’s poll at smerconish.com. Plus, thoughts on Trump’s role in the deal, the ethics of negotiating...

Dr. Ryan Burge is Professor of Practice at Washington University in St. Louis. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Michael offers a bold take on today's Smerconish.com poll question which asks: "If peace holds in the Middle East, should President Trump receive the Nobel Peace Prize next year?" From 2025 Nobel winner Maria Corina Machado to Thomas Friedman’s surprising take, Michael explores whether Trump’s diplomacy deserves global recognition — and what the Nobel Committee’s decision really says about politic...

Michael Smerconish dives into two “Mingle Project”-themed stories that reveal how technology and loneliness are reshaping human connection. From a report that 1 in 5 teens have had a romantic AI relationship, to new research showing our brains can only handle 150 real friendships, Michael connects the dots on what’s happening to our ability to truly mingle. Is society drifting from real relationsh...

Michael Smerconish dives into today’s provocative poll question: "Will President Trump’s deployment of National Guard troops spur the sort of violence that would justify continued military presence?" He unpacks the legal and political stakes — from the Posse Comitatus Act to the Insurrection Act — and asks whether the current strategy could be by design. Listen here, then vote! Hosted by Simplecas...

Michael sits down with political analyst Mark Halperin to unpack new CBS News Editor-in-Chief Bari Weiss’s claim that the far left destroyed America’s center-left, and what that and the rest of her opinions and experiences mean for that company moving forward. Halperin notes that Weiss is what big journalism needs now: He and Michael explore how media bias, polarization, and public perception are...

Michael owns up to a one-word mistake in today's Smerconish.com poll question — and it sparks a fascinating debate. Listen here and then vote on this question: "Who will be elected president first, a woman or someone openly LGBTQ+?" He breaks down why that missing word matters, what new polling reveals about voter attitudes, and how figures like CBS' Bari Weiss and Pete Buttigieg factor into Ameri...

Michael reacts to a new Politico poll that reveals a surprising truth: younger Americans are less likely than older ones to support electing a female president. He’s joined by The Atlantic’s Olga Khazan to unpack what this says about gender, power, and how women candidates still face a “double bind” in U.S. politics. Plus, what kind of woman could finally break the White House glass ceiling? Liste...