The Smerconish Podcast

Doug Sosnik, former senior adviser to President Bill Clinton, joins Michael Smerconish to deliver what he calls the "real Democratic autopsy." Sosnik argues that Democrats lost the 2024 election long before Joe Biden's debate performance or Kamala Harris's 107-day campaign. He identifies three key factors—the decision for Biden to seek a second term, early immigration policy choices, and the party...

Today's Poll Question at Smerconish.com: Will democratic socialism be the future of the Democratic Party? New polling data reveals a dramatic shift inside the Democratic Party: favorable views of socialism have surged while support for capitalism has declined. Michael Smerconish examines the numbers highlighted by CNN’s Harry Enten, the growing influence of Democratic Socialists of America candida...

Today's Poll Question at Smerconish.com: Agree or Disagree: An athlete's choice to accept or reject a White House invitation shouldn't be judged. The New York Knicks’ decision to accept a White House invitation from President Trump has reignited a long-running debate about sports, politics, and tradition. Michael Smerconish explores how White House visits evolved from largely nonpartisan champions...

Named  The Most Influential Rabbi in America  by  Newsweek  and one of the  50 Most Influential Jews in the World   by  The   Jerusalem Post,  and twice named one of the  500 Most Influential People in Los Angeles  by the Los Angeles Business Journal, David Wolpe is the Max Webb Emeritus Rabbi of Sinai Temple. Rabbi Wolpe has taught at Harvard, the Jewish Theological Seminary, the American Jewish...

Today's Poll Question at Smerconish.com: How long will the Iran ceasefire hold: Less than six months, six months to a year, or more than a year? Michael examines the newly signed U.S.-Iran ceasefire agreement and asks the question at the center of today’s poll: how durable is this peace? He reviews key provisions of the memorandum of understanding, highlights concerns raised by critics, and explai...

Michael welcomes political analyst Mark Halperin for their weekly conversation, covering the biggest stories shaping politics and public debate. This week: the New York Times’ deep investigation into Jeffrey Epstein’s death, whether unanswered questions still linger, Doug Sosnik’s argument that Democrats lost the 2024 election before President Biden exited the race, Josh Shapiro’s presidential pro...

Today's Poll Question at Smerconish.com: Was 2024 already lost for Democrats before Biden dropped out? Michael examines a provocative argument from veteran Democratic strategist Doug Sosnik: that the 2024 election was effectively decided long before President Biden exited the race. Drawing on Sosnik’s Washington Post analysis, Michael explores three key factors—the decision to seek a second term,...

Michael Smerconish sits down with Pew Research Center's Jocelyn Kiley to discuss the organization's newly released political typology, which divides Americans into nine distinct political groups. With nearly half of Americans now identifying as independents, what does the data reveal about the country's evolving political identity? Kiley explains how Pew's research goes beyond traditional Democrat...

Today's Poll Question at Smerconish.com: Is Trump retreating too soon on Iran? President Trump announces a new agreement with Iran, claiming the Strait of Hormuz will reopen, oil prices are falling, and Tehran has agreed not to pursue a nuclear weapon. But major questions remain: What happens to Iran’s nuclear program? Will sanctions be lifted before meaningful concessions are secured? And after m...

As America approaches its 250th birthday, a new NBC News poll paints a sobering picture of the nation's mood. Michael speaks with NBC senior national politics reporter Jonathan Allen about why most Americans believe the American Dream is harder to achieve, why trust in institutions has eroded, and why many think the country's best days are behind it. Is this simply a rough chapter in American hist...

Today's Poll Question at Smerconish.com: Genes or money — which shapes a child's brain more? Michael revisits the classic nature-versus-nurture debate, but with a modern twist. Prompted by new research from Washington University in St. Louis, he examines evidence suggesting that socioeconomic factors—including income, neighborhood conditions, stress, sleep, and screen time—may have a profound impa...

Michael speaks with TIME Senior Sports Rorrespondent Sean Gregory about Dana White’s rise, his relationship with Donald Trump, and the unprecedented UFC event set for the White House lawn. Plus, Michael previews his CNN special “The Mingle Project,” exploring America’s loneliness crisis, social isolation, and the urgent need to restore common experience. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. S...

Today's Poll Question at Smerconish.com: UFC: Sport or Spectacle? With UFC preparing for an unprecedented event on the White House South Lawn, Michael examines the evolution of mixed martial arts from a once-marginalized attraction derided as “human cockfighting” to a global entertainment powerhouse. He reflects on Dana White’s role in building the UFC brand, the organization’s long relationship w...

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is here, and the United States is hosting the largest sporting event on the planet. Michael speaks with Andrew Giuliani, Executive Director of the White House FIFA World Cup Task Force, about security, logistics, President Trump's involvement, and why he believes Team USA could make a historic run. Then, Philadelphia World Cup host committee co-chair Dan Hilferty joins the...

Today's Poll Question at Smerconish.com: When attacked, should the U.S. respond proportionally or overwhelmingly? As tensions between the United States and Iran continue to escalate, Michael examines one of the oldest and most consequential questions in foreign policy: when America is attacked, should it strike back in kind or with overwhelming force? Drawing on recent developments in the Gulf, Pr...

Michael Smerconish talks with Mark Halperin about the controversy surrounding Scott Pelley's exit from CBS News, questions of media bias at 60 Minutes, and President Trump's evolving strategy toward Iran. A timely discussion on journalism, politics, and international tensions. Original air date 10 June 2026. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information abou...

Today's Poll Question at Smerconish.com: Which would you rather watch: baseball or soccer? As the FIFA World Cup kicks off across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, Michael explores how dramatically soccer’s standing has changed in America. Once dismissed as a niche sport, soccer has climbed to become one of the nation’s most popular spectator sports—according to recent data, even edging past...

Former NATO Supreme Allied Commander Admiral James Stavridis joins Michael to break down the increasingly complicated dynamics between Israel, Iran, Hezbollah, and the Trump administration. Are President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu pursuing different goals? Can a U.S.-Iran deal still happen? And what role does Hezbollah play in the growing tensions across the region? Then, Michael talks wit...

Today's Poll Question at Smerconish.com: Are America's best days ahead or behind us? Michael examines a deceptively simple question that cuts to the heart of America’s national mood. Drawing on new Quinnipiac and AP-NORC polling, he explores a striking contradiction: most Americans believe the country is falling short of its founding ideals, yet more say America’s best days are still ahead than be...

Can sharing a meal bring people together in an increasingly divided America? Michael sits down with Anuj Gupta, President and CEO of Philadelphia's Welcoming Center, to discuss "Breaking Bread, Breaking Barriers," an innovative initiative that uses food and conversation to build community across cultural, political, and social divides. After the interview, Michael and TC explore the lessons behind...

Today's Poll Question at Smerconish.com: Should 60 Minutes' Scott Pelley have been fired for humiliating his boss in front of coworkers? Michael examines the controversy surrounding veteran 60 Minutes correspondent Scott Pelley and his dismissal following a tense staff meeting with new leadership. After reviewing reporting, audio accounts, and Pelley's own interview with The New York Times, Michae...

President Trump has named housing executive Bill Pulte as Acting Director of National Intelligence, a move that's drawing scrutiny from both national security experts and lawmakers. Michael examines the nomination, the qualifications traditionally required for the DNI role, and whether Republican resistance to some of Trump's recent actions signals a broader shift within the party. Former White Ho...

Today's Poll Question at Smerconish.com: Should Representative Tom Kean Jr.’s three-month unexplained absence disqualify him from re-election? Michael examines the growing controversy surrounding New Jersey Congressman Tom Kean Jr., who has not cast a vote in Congress since March 5 and has largely disappeared from public view. In this episode, Michael explores the tension between respecting a pote...

President Trump recently suggested that a proposed $1.8 billion compensation fund for alleged victims of government "weaponization" may not be dead after all. Listen here as Michael is joined by attorneys Michael Van Der Veen and William Brennan, who represented Donald Trump during his second impeachment trial and later defended numerous January 6 defendants. They argue that many January 6 partici...

Today's Poll Question at Smerconish.com: Does Congress limiting Trump's Iran war powers benefit the US or Iran? Michael Smerconish examines the House vote to limit President Trump’s authority to continue military hostilities against Iran without explicit congressional approval. With four Republicans joining Democrats, the debate revives longstanding questions about the War Powers Act, presidential...