The Smerconish Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Inside Trump’s Mysterious Air Force One Security Move Aug 21, 2026

Show notes

Michael talks with Steve Atkiss, former Special Assistant to President George W. Bush for Operations and a longtime presidential trip director, about the extraordinary security maneuver that separated President Trump from Air Force One in Turkey. Atkiss takes listeners inside the secretive world of presidential travel and continuity-of-government planning, sharing stories from Bush’s surprise Thanksgiving trip to Baghdad, the Trump–Kim Jong Un summit in Singapore, and other high-stakes moments where security, secrecy and presidential decision-making collide. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Today's Poll Question: Would You Pay Higher Taxes and Take Benefit Cuts to Fix the $40 Trillion Debt? Aug 21, 2026

Show notes

Today's Poll Question at Smerconish.com: Would you accept both higher taxes on yourself and reduced Social Security and Medicare benefits in order to reduce the $40 trillion national debt? Michael confronts a problem Americans overwhelmingly say matters—but one Washington has repeatedly failed to solve. With the national debt now above $40 trillion and interest costs mounting, Michael revisits Pete Peterson’s warnings and the 2010 Simpson-Bowles Commission, which sought shared sacrifice through higher revenue and reduced spending. Today’s poll puts that tradeoff directly to voters: Are Americans willing to personally pay more and receive less if that’s what serious debt reduction requires? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

America Is $40 Trillion in Debt. Now What? Aug 20, 2026

Show notes

The U.S. national debt has crossed $40 trillion. So who pays the bill? Michael breaks down how America got here, revisits past efforts to rein in the debt, and asks whether voters would accept higher taxes or reduced Social Security and Medicare benefits. Plus, listeners join the debate with solutions of their own. Original air date 20 August 2026. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Today's Poll Question: Is the Natalie Harp story Much Ado About Nothing? Aug 20, 2026

Show notes

Today's Poll Question at Smerconish.com: Is the Natalie Harp story Much Ado About Nothing? Jon Ossoff’s two-word reference to “Natalie” ignited a political and media firestorm around Trump aide Natalie Harp—but is there really a larger story here? Michael examines why Ossoff’s remark went viral, the backlash from conservatives, David Axelrod’s criticism of the attack, Julie K. Brown’s provocative response, and Mark Halperin’s argument that the entire episode may amount to little more than cable-news fascination. As the headlines already begin to fade, Michael asks whether the controversy revealed anything meaningful—or simply proved how quickly a provocative line can dominate the political conversation. Listen here, then vote! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING: Mark Halperin on the Natalie Harp Firestorm Aug 19, 2026

Show notes

Michael is joined by Mark Halperin to unpack the sudden scrutiny surrounding President Trump aide Natalie Harp and the backlash to Senator Jon Ossoff’s comments about her. Was Ossoff’s remark sexist—or has Washington turned a half-sentence into “much ado about nothing”? Then Michael opens the phones and hears from listeners on whether the controversy deserves all the attention it’s getting. Original air date 19 August 2026. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Today's Poll Question: Should the U.S. grow or shrink its footprint in the Middle East? Aug 19, 2026

Show notes

Today's Poll Question at Smerconish.com: Should we be growing or shrinking our footprint in the Middle East? With the Pentagon reportedly reassessing America’s military presence across the region, Michael asks whether decades of bases, troops, and intervention are still making the United States safer. He reflects on his own visit to U.S. military installations in Qatar and Djibouti and examines the strategic dilemma exposed by the conflict with Iran: Does maintaining a massive American footprint deter threats—or help create the very resentment and vulnerability it is meant to contain? Cast your vote at Smerconish.com. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

“The Strait Is Closed”: Admiral Stavridis on Iran, Trump and What Comes Next Aug 18, 2026

Show notes

Admiral James Stavridis joins Michael Smerconish to assess the escalating confrontation with Iran, why he says the Strait of Hormuz is effectively closed, Trump’s approach to North Korea, and the extraordinary 260-plus-day deployment of the USS Abraham Lincoln. Then, listeners who served at sea share firsthand stories of long Navy deployments, life aboard submarines and aircraft carriers, and what it takes to endure months away from home. Original air date 18 August 2026. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Today's Poll Question: Is the Jason Arday tragedy a story of affirmative action gone too far, or a racist witch hunt? Aug 18, 2026

Show notes

Today's Poll Question at Smerconish.com: Is the Jason Arday tragedy a story of affirmative action in the extreme, a racist witch hunt, or both? Michael examines the troubling and complicated story of Cambridge professor Jason Arday, whose death followed intense scrutiny of plagiarism allegations and extraordinary claims about his academic and personal history. Was Cambridge too eager to elevate a groundbreaking Black scholar without sufficient scrutiny? Or did Arday become the target of a relentless, racially charged campaign once questions emerged? Drawing on the competing narratives surrounding the case—and Tyler Austin Harper’s argument in The Atlantic that both may contain truth—Michael asks whether this tragedy exposes failures on multiple sides. Listen here, then vote. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Luigi Mangione Pleads Guilty — But Where Was the Remorse? Aug 17, 2026

Show notes

Michael Smerconish reacts to Luigi Mangione’s guilty plea in the killing of UnitedHealthcare executive Brian Thompson — and to what he says was notably missing: remorse. He examines Mangione’s courtroom statement, his lawyers’ double-jeopardy strategy, and the continuing public anger toward America’s health insurance system. Then, listeners weigh in on a provocative question: Do Mangione’s grievances with the health care system mitigate his crime in any way? The answers leave Michael stunned. Original air date 08-17-26 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Today's Poll Question: The White House East Wing has already been demolished. Should the Trump Ballroom now be built? Aug 17, 2026

Show notes

Today's Poll Question at Smerconish.com: The White House East Wing has already been demolished. Should the Trump Ballroom now be built? The fight over President Trump’s proposed White House ballroom has shifted dramatically. With an appeals court blocking above-ground construction unless Congress approves it, the administration is asking the Supreme Court to intervene—and increasingly arguing that the project is essential to national security. Michael examines the evolving rationale, claims that the ballroom would protect a secure underground military complex, and the alternatives now that the East Wing is already gone. Is the project necessary, excessive, or simply too far along to stop? Listen here, then vote! And be sure to rate, review, and share this podcast. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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