The Smerconish Podcast

Washington Post writer Sarah Ellison joins Michael in a conversation about a controversial email centered around 2020 election fraud discourse which circulated within Fox News. The duo discuss what came to be known as "the Wackadoodle Email," the lawsuit surrounding it, and its impact on political journalism. Callers also weigh in on the topic. Original air date 17 March 2023. Hosted by Simplecast...

The San Francisco, CA Board of Supervisors is open to major payouts - up to $5M - for reparations for slavery. Michael talks about a draft reparations plan that made headlines this week with Tinisch Hollins, Executive Director at Californians for Safety and Justice, and Vice Chair of the African American Reparations Advisory Committee in San Francisco. Original air date 16 March 2023. Hosted by Si...

Michael speaks with retired Congressman Barney Frank, who represented Massachusetts from 1981 to 2013, and was a primary architect of the Dodd-Frank legislation put in place in 2010 following the 2008 financial crisis. He is now a board member at Signature Bank, which was shut down by regulators following the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank. Original air date 15 March 2023. Hosted by Simplecast, a...

Michael offers analysis of President Biden's response to the Silicon Valley Bank failure. Is it a bailout? Many are asking. Listen to find out. Original air date 14 March 2023. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Michael looks at two important matters regarding speech, and freedom thereof. First, a conversation with Mark Landler, NY Times London Bureau Chief, on the controversial suspension and reinstatement of a popular British sports anchor who made comments on immigration. Then, Michael revisits the closer-to-home story surrounding U Penn Law Professor Amy Wax being accused of making racist statements -...

NBC News Legal Analyst Danny Cevallos breaks down the legal aspects of a possible indictment of former President Trump in connection with alleged hush money payments made to Stormy Daniels. And, Michael revisits a conversation he had with former presidential advisor Michael Cohen about this case, one month ago. Original air date 10 March 2023. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://...

Should candidates who lose in a primary be permitted to run in the same general election as an independent or third party? Michael asks this question today and turns to attorney Jason Torchinsky for expertise. He's a partner at Holtzman, Vogel, Baran, Torchinsky & Josefiak PLLC, amd c-author of a paper on the topic of how it may be impossible for Trump to run a successful third-party campaign if h...

Michael parses through Tucker Carlson's presentation on FOX News of the security video footage from January 6th at the US Capitol, which was exclusively given to him by House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA). Original air date 8 March 2023. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Admiral (Ret.) James Stavridis talks about the latest in the Ukraine-Russia War, and whether now is the time to start peace negotiations. Original air date 7 March 2023. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Michael expands on new information that has come to light in the case of Dominion Voting Systems suing FOX for defamation over the 2020 election outcomes, following last week's comments by Rupert Murdoch that came to light. Original air date 6 March 2023. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertis...

Michael offers a fun commentary on how to call in to his radio program, in response to a piece written by a listener at Smerconish.com. Original air date 3 March 2023. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Michael talks to Jeff Reitz, who is now a Guinness Book of World Records holder for the longest daily streak of visits to Disneyland. Original air date 2 March 2023. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Michael tells a tale of his mid-week visit to Washington, DC, and met a Member of Congress. But who? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Michael offers thoughts on the revelations in a public legal filing that Fox Corporation Chairman Rupert Murdoch acknowledged that Fox News hosts endorsed false stolen election claims in the 2020 presidential race. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

"Dilbert" comic strip creator Scott Adams recently described black people as members of “a hate group” from which white people should “get away.” Should newspapers stop publishing his famous comic strip? Michael takes on the case and asks the audience. Original air date 27 February 2023. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and...

Gallup Editor-in-Chief Mohamed Younis joins Michael on their latest polling in Russia, summarized in their piece "Sanctions Fail to Sour Russians' Outlook on Economy." Original air date 24 February 2023. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Michael talks to Blake Lemoine, an engineer who was fired by Google in July 2022 for saying publicly that the company's "LaMDA" A.I. was "sentient." Michael asks him about a piece written in the New York Times by Kevin Roose, "A conversation with Bing's Chatbot Left Me Deeply Unsettled." Original air date 23 February 2023. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for i...

Retired Admiral James Stavridis, now Vice Chair, Global Affairs and Managing Director of The Carlyle Group, and Chair of Rockefeller Foundation Board of Directors, joins Michael today with his thoughts on world affairs from recent days, including President Biden's trip to Ukraine. Original air date 22 February 2023. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for informat...

Does the market know better than the pundit class? Should we be able to wager on elections in America, just like we wager on sports? Michael talks with the founder of PredictIt, John Aristotle. Original air date 10 February 2023. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Michael has interviewed several US presidents during his career. In this episode, he goes back and listens to his conversations with Jimmy Carter, George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama, and Joe Biden. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Michael talks to former US Solicitor General Ted Olson, who's wife was killed in the September 11th, 2001 Attacks, about his call for the cases of the Guantanamo detainees to be resolved, in an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal. Original air date 10 February 2023. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for...

Meet Malcolm Lazin, an LGBTQ rights activist and former federal prosecutor. He filed a letter with congressional ethics watchdogs requesting an investigation into whether embattled Congressman George Santos (R-NY) violated federal immigration laws when he was married to a Brazilian woman for seven years. Hear his conversation with Michael in this episode. Original air date 16 February 2023. Hosted...

'Solar Geoengineering' has been brought up recently as a solution to combat climate change. But, what is it, and are its potential rewards worth the risks? Michael gets expertise from leading climate scientist Dr. Michael Mann, Presidential Distinguished Professor and Director, Penn Center for Science, Sustainability & the Media in the Department of Earth & Environmental Science at the University...

Michael speaks with Dr. Devika Bhushan, a pediatrician who served as California's acting Surgeon General, about her journey with Bipolar Disorder, and her work to help end the stigma surrounding it. Original air date 6 February 2023. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Although UFO sightings have been prominent in American culture for decades, we could be in the midst of an Unidentified Flying Object-resurgence as the USA has recently had multiple back-to-back sightings and neutralizations of UFO's. Are aliens visiting our nation, or are there other factors at play? To answer this question, Michael is joined by Richard Clarke, a national security expert and form...