The Smerconish Podcast

236 episode briefs available

He Walked Home From the Pentagon on 9/11 — Admiral Stavridis on What Veterans Day Really Means

Should Ole Miss Have Let Lane Kiffin Finish the Season? Michael Battles His Emotions vs. Logic

The Shutdown Stalemate: Partisan Politics Gone Too Far

Chris Cuomo’s Unfiltered Take on Jimmy Kimmel and the Future of ABC

Qatari Jetgate: Will Trump Take Off in His $400M Presidential Plane?

Michael's Reflections on the Charlie Kirk Memorial

Should Ukraine Trade Land for Peace?

A Dirty Deal or the Only Deal? Admiral Stavridis on Ukraine’s Impossible Choice

Democratic Socialism: Could It Win Over America?

Today's Poll: Since He's Rich, Should Jeff Bezos Be Expected to Save The Washington Post?

If You Trust Your Phone With Your Money, Why Not Your Vote?

The Day Radio Died: Remembering Pierre Robert and Facing an AI Future

Why Trump’s Stance on the Epstein Files is Raising Eyebrows

Is a Zohran Mamdani Win Good or Bad for National Democrats?

The COVID-Cash Fraud Nobody Saw Coming — Except Michael Smerconish

Inside Trump’s White House Makeover: The Ballroom Controversy Explained

Will the ‘No Kings’ Protests Change Anything? Colby Hall vs. Will Bunch

How David Wasserman Reads Elections Before Anyone Else — A Masterclass in Data and Democracy

Minnesota Fraud: Shocking Exception—or Proof the System Is Broken?

Most People Can Be Trusted… Or Can They?

Axios CEO Jim VandeHei on Optimism, Responsibility & Community

Will Trump’s National Guard Deployment Spark the Chaos He Needs?

Bolton, Comey, or Letitia James — Who’s Really in the Hottest Water?

Today's Poll: Did Philly’s DA Go Too Far Calling ICE “Wannabe Nazis”?

The End of the Trump Era? Doug Sosnik Explains What’s Next for 2026 and 2028

Phillies Karen: Smerconish Says... Leave Her Alone?

Susie Wiles, Vanity Fair & Trump: Mark Halperin On What You Weren’t Told

Would Mandatory National Service Heal America—or Threaten Freedom?

Mark Halperin on Trump’s ‘Third Term’ Talk and the NYC Mayor's Race

If Trump Pulls THIS Off, Is He a 'Successful' President?

Is Anything Left That Brings Americans Together?

The Case for Volunteering as a Cure for Loneliness

Mark Halperin on Musk vs. Trump, Stephen Miller’s Power Grab & Hidden White House Chaos

If Middle East Peace Holds, Trump Should Win The Nobel Prize Next Year

Tylenol and Autism: Fact, Fear, or Misleading Science?

Ozempic: Luxury or Lifesaver — Should Taxpayers Foot the Bill?

Is $50K… or $150K Enough? America’s True Cost of Living For A Family Of Four

Can Mentorship Fix America? Inside California’s Bold New Plan for Young Men

Should Transgender Athletes Compete in Women’s Sports?

Teens Don't Trust The News–And Think Spider-Man Is A Journalist

Will the Great Wealth Transfer Spark a Millennial Civil War?

Mark Halperin On How the Shutdown Could End Today

Melting Ice, Rising Stakes: The Climate Reality Behind Trump’s Greenland Push

Harris or Newsom: Who Has A Better Chance To Be Elected President?

NATO, Trump, and a Fracturing West—What Comes Next?

Is Birthright Citizenship an American Exception — or a Constitutional Mistake?

Before You Vote 'No' To Reducing Foreign Enrollment in American Colleges - Hear This

Two Miles Then, Two Doors Now: The Collapse of Kids’ ‘Home Range’

Second Strike Scandal: Is Admiral Bradley Responsible?

A Female President Or A LGBTQ+ President

Did the "Far-Left" Destroy the "Center-Left"?

No Kings Rallies Explained: Ridicule As Resistance

AI Is Quietly Rewriting Medicine—and Most Patients Have No Idea

Democrats Divided: Why the Shutdown Backfired—or Maybe Didn’t

Philly Karen: Villain or Victim?

Pollsters vs. Predictors: Why 2028 May Be Decided by Wagers, Not Surveys

Inside Quantico: Should We Fear Trump & Hegseth's Big Meeting?

Not Chaos...but Strategy? A Provocative Question About Trump’s Presidency

75 and Out? The Growing Case for Age Limits in Government

Musk vs. Trump: Who Can Destroy the Other First?

The Ultimate Mingle: The Grateful Dead

The Rise of Retributive Justice — and Why It Must End

Is America Too Broken to Fix?

Will The Majority Of House Republicans Vote To Release The Epstein Files?

Do January 6 Defendants Deserve Empathy? Smerconish Asks the Question Few Will

Remembering Bernie Parent: The Lasting Legacy of a Flyers Legend

Admiral Stavridis on the Pentagon Firestorm: Congressional Inquiry Required

Trump, Greenland, Iran, and the Edge of War — Mark Halperin Breaks It Down

Is Turning Point USA an Asset or Liability for the Republican Party?

Inside Congress’ Stock Trading Problem — And the Bill to End It

Faith, Politics, and Fracture: America at a Crossroads

America’s Military at Risk? Admiral Stavridis on the NYT’s Shocking ‘Overmatch’ Report

NYC Election Shock? A Conversation With NYC Councilman Frank Morano

Gun Rights or Property Rights — You Decide

20 Hostages for 250 Prisoners: A Justified Deal or Dangerous Precedent?

The ‘Trump Is Finished’ Narrative Returns—Why Mark Halperin Isn’t Buying It

Mobile Voting: The Future of Democracy or a Disaster Waiting to Happen?

Mark Halperin Breaks Down the Blue Surge...With a Caveat on Gavin Newsom

Gallup Drops a Bombshell: Independents Now Dominate American Politics

Michael Sees The East Wing Demolition For Himself

Biden Battles Cancer: The Diagnosis Everyone’s Talking About

Tomahawks for Ukraine? The Question That Could Define Trump’s Strategy

Lights, Camera, Campaign! Could Celebs Be the Dems' Secret Weapon?

You Decide: Did the ICE Agent Reasonably Believe He Was in Danger?

America Bought Alaska — Should Greenland Be Next?

The Video They Don’t Want You to See? Smerconish Explores the Boat-Strike Mystery

The New Status Symbol: A Memoir for Your Kids

TIME’s Shocking 2025 Person of the Year Reveal: Did They Get It Right?

Is Legalizing Cocaine and Heroin the Only Way to Stop Fentanyl-Related Deaths?

“He’ll Never Be Disciplined”: Mark Halperin on Trump’s Speech, Post & Party Panic

Let's Talk About Sex! Because We Are Doing It Way Less

From D-Day Reflections to Renaming A Ship During Pride Month: Admiral Stavridis Breaks It Down

Mark Halperin on the New Epstein Revelation Fallout, and Gavin Newsom's Rising Star Power

Will Hispanic Voters Shift Right, Like White Working-Class Voters Did?

Marjorie Taylor Greene: Evolution or Opportunism?

Should You Check Papers Before Hiring Help?

Dating an A.I. Girlfriend, And We Need 150 Friends

Political Violence Is Here In America — But It's Not What You Think

Trump, Epstein, and the Missing Bark: The Mystery Deepens

Who’s Watching the School Board? Inside America’s Local News Collapse

The Assassination of Charlie Kirk: A Hinge Point for America?

Could Spencer Cox Win the White House? (Trick Question)

AI Boom or Bust? Ron Insana on the Real Risk Behind Today’s Stock Market Surge

Maduro Captured: A Military Masterstroke—or the Start of America’s Next Forever War?

The Post That Shocked Even Trump Allies: Was It a New Low?

Reasonable Fear or Excessive Force? A Deep Dive Into the Alex Pretti Shooting

"Tell It Early, Tell It All’: What Trump Should Have Done About Epstein

Australia Protects Its Teens. Should America Also Enact An Under-16 Social Media Ban?

A Nation of Strangers: Do you know and trust your neighbor?

Breaking Down Birthright: Who Deserves U.S. Citizenship?

When a House Has a Dark Past: What Sellers Are (and Aren’t) Required to Disclose

Is Gen Z Unemployable? Suzy Welch Drops A Bombshell

America’s Surprising Gender Gap: Why Younger Voters Resist a Female President

Live From MLK Day of Service: How Volunteerism Can Heal a Divided Nation

America at 250: Should Our Coins Honor 1776—or More Than That?

One Year From Today......Will Jimmy Kimmel Still Be On ABC?

Can Trump End America’s Political Civil War? Mark Halperin Says It’s Nearly Impossible

Marjorie Taylor Greene’s ‘Epiphany’: Evolution or Pure Opportunism?

How Stranger Danger and SUVs Changed Halloween Forever

Data Check: What the Stats Really Say About Political Violence

Admiral Stavridis on Israel’s Strike in Qatar: A Costly Misstep?

The Fork In The Democrats' Road: Mamdani, or Spanberger & Sherrill

The Hidden Consequences of America’s Weight Loss Drug Boom

Are You Rooting Against America? It's About More Than Baseball At The World Series.

The €1 House Craze: Dream Escape or Tourist Trap?

The Politics of Baseball: Why Some Americans Are Cheering for Canada

Iran Protests Escalate: Should the U.S. Respond With Force?

A NYT Epstein Bombshell Drops — And Trump’s Agitated Speech Makes New Sense

Indefensible: David Urban on Breaking Rank From Trump

From Tragedy to Escapism: Politics, Cartoons, and Movies

Postmarked By--But Received After--Election Day: Should Your Vote Count?

Disobeying Orders: Congress, the Military, and the Line Between Duty and Defiance

Should Cops Be Believed On The Witness Stand? Smerconish Breaks Down Today’s Poll Question

A Jet, A President, and a Possible Impeachment

The Cake Is Almost Baked: Doug Sosnik on Trump, the Economy, and the 2026 Midterms

Mark Halperin on Trump’s Greenland Strategy, NATO Tensions, and Global Power

Admiral Stavridis: Hegseth’s Speech Was a Pep Rally with No Impact

Protester or Agitator? The Video That Complicates the Alex Pretti Case

Feds vs. States: The Fight for AI Control Just Got Real

Disgusting Abomination! Did Elon Musk Just Kill President Trump's 'Big Beautiful Bill"?

Disrupting Worship for Politics? The Smerconish Poll That Has Everyone Talking

Has the Epstein Saga Finally Cracked Trump’s Grip on MAGA?

Faith, Politics, and Power: What Americans Really Think About Atheists in Office

Inside Election Day: NYC’s Choice Between Experience and Idealism

Bari Weiss, Jeff Yass, and the Rise of a New ‘Fearless’ University

Shutdown Showdown: Which Party Takes the Political Hit?

The Unthinkable Option: Make Today’s Ukraine Map Lines Permanent?

This Is The Facial Recognition Technology Nightmare Scenario That We Have Been Worried About

Reclassifying Marijuana: An Unexpected Trump Move

Should SNAP Benefits Pay for Soda and Candy?

Is antisemitism becoming normalized in our society today?

The 5 New Independent Types That Are Changing Politics

The American Dream Isn’t Dead — You’re Just Defining It Wrong

Pete Buttigieg...Too Big Of A Risk

Not Feeling Rich: $1 Million Isn’t What It Used to Be

Did the U.S. Commit a War Crime? Andrew McCarthy on the Drug Boat Strikes

The Transgender Rights Backlash: Are Sports to Blame?

Is Biden Being Unfairly Blamed for Trump’s Return?

How Does One Become A Four-Star Navy Admiral? James Stavridis Tells Us

Michael Smerconish: Jimmy Kimmel Should NOT Have Been Suspended

Mark Halperin on "Original Sin" : Revelations or No News?

If the 2024 Election Happened Again Tomorrow, Would Trump Still Win?

Netflix’s 'A House of Dynamite' Is Fiction—But the Threat Isn’t

Morning Light or Sunset Glow: The Daylight Saving Dilemma

Trump 2.0 at One Year: Why Democrats May Take Back the House in 2026

Will Kamala Harris' Book Ruin a Future Presidential Run

Drugs, War Crimes, and Politics: When Will We See The Boat Strike Video?

Inside the Navy SEAL Mission That Nearly Sparked War with North Korea

Today's Poll: How Many Stars for Bad Bunny's Halftime Show?

Mark Halperin: Lessons from Charlie Kirk’s Death and the State of U.S. Politics

Is James Comey's "86 47" post a threat to President Trump?

Frank Luntz Sells Democratic Socialism (As An Exercise!)

Epstein Email Bombshell: Why Is Trump Acting Like He's Guilty?

Shutdown Politics Meets the Obamacare Crisis - ACA Premiums Surge 26%

Hate Speech in the U.S.: Protected or Punishable?

Will GLP-1's ACTUALLY Make America Healthier?

Human Connection in a Disconnected World: The Guy Meeting 10,000 People, One Hour At A Time

James Comey on Trial: Should He Seek Dismissal or Public Vindication?

Talking Tomahawks with Admiral James Stavridis

Danny on Diddy

UK Arrests Protesters Over “Globalize the Intifada”: Could This Ever Happen Here?

What Did Team Biden Hide? Shocking Insights Revealed

Hell Yes, Airline Passengers Should Dress Up!

When Can ICE Use Deadly Force? The Policies That Decide the Minneapolis Case

The Death of Charlie Kirk and the State of Our Nation

The 2028 Democratic Nominee Fight Is Starting Early—Harris vs. Shapiro

The Unthinkable Question: Will NATO Survive Trump?

Trump’s Epstein Controversy: What’s Worse — The Birthday Greeting or the Denial?

A Hoagie, a Federal Agent, and a Not Guilty Verdict — Seriously?

Inside Amazon’s Robot-Powered Future — And What It Means for YOUR Job.

Redistricting Showdown: Should California Hit Pause If Texas Is Blocked?

The Real Story of 1929: Suicides, Market Mania & How It Could Happen Again

The "Stealthy Wealthy": Rich, Quiet, and Right Next Door

“Dead Men Tell No Tales”: Listeners Clash Over Trump’s Border Strike

Five Years Later, The J6 Rioters Still Believe They Were The Patriots

Shutdown Showdown: What Will Finally Break the Government Stalemate?

An Increasing Number of Ordinary Americans are Supporting Political Violence

Schooling Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear on How To Host A Radio Show

The Real Art of the Heist: FBI Expert on the Daring Louvre Robbery

Texas Backfires, California Panics: The Redistricting Crisis No One Saw Coming

U.S. Recognition of Palestine? Why Michael Says ‘Yes’

Mark Halperin on Bari Weiss and The Future of Journalism

Trump, Habeas Corpus, and War Powers: John Yoo Sounds the Alarm

AI Is Advancing Fast and Could End Us All

Rahm Emanuel: “Washington Needs a Power Wash”

Stephen A. Smith Has Something To Say

Michael Says Rhetoric Is A Problem, It's Not The Cause Of This Political Violence

From Harvard to Heartland: How Education Defines Today’s Politics

Today's Poll: Is Boycotting Big Tech an Effective Way to Protest ICE Policies?

Should Guns Be Allowed at Protests?

92% of Detentions Aren’t Criminals: Who Is ICE Really Arresting?

Pouring Harvey Milk Out To Sea

Epstein Files Drop Today. Nothing Will Change.

'He Is Not A She': Nancy Mace Clashes with Michael Smerconish Over Trans Rights and Military Service

Different Is Hot: Arthur Brooks On How To Get Young People To Mingle

Mark Halperin on Trump’s White House Makeover and the Democratic Party Identity Crisis

If Trump Can Broker Peace in The Middle East… Can He Do It in America?

Bipartisan Breakthrough or Betrayal? 8 Democrats Cross The Aisle To End Shutdown

Broken Housing Market: Young Adults Are Delaying Homeownership

The TV Shows That Defined Every Decade—from I Love Lucy to Stranger Things

Should the NYT Have Revealed a Secret Navy SEALs Operation?

Admiral Stavridis Drops Godfather Wisdom on Graduates—And It’s Brilliant

7 Million Protesters. But Will The 'No Kings' Movement Matter?

Inside the J6 Pipe Bomb Arrest: Motive, Misconceptions, and a Stunning Legal Question

The Supreme Court Said No — But This Lawyer Isn’t Done Fighting Florida’s Closed Primaries

Graham Platner's Tattoo Trouble

Scott Galloway Warns of a “Slow Burn Into Fascism” — and Says THIS is the Only Fix

Hunting Bears, Not Each Other: A Rare Look at Life Beyond Politics

Mass Shootings Are A Facet Of American Life That Will Never Change

Trump Wants New Battleships — Admiral Stavridis Explains Why That Could Be a Mistake

Mingling Matters: What the Decline of Happy Hour Says About Modern Life

Blue Wave Incoming? Halperin on Why Republicans Are in Real Trouble

Trump Calls It Treason — But Was The Democrats' 'Refuse Illegal Orders' Video Wrong?

Fetterman’s Warning: Should Democrats Stop Calling Trump an Autocrat?

Should Big Tech Pay for the Damage to Kids’ Mental Health?

“I’ve Lost Friends on Both Sides”: Halperin & Smerconish on Political Tribalism