Podcast Episodes

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

Admiral James Stavridis is a retired four-star U.S. naval officer. He is currently Partner and Vice Chair of Carlyle, a global investment firm. He is also 12th Chair of Rockefeller Foundation board. …

Published on 27 minutes ago

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

Episode 1620

On Veterans Day, Michael asks: Which is a more reliable predictor of elections — traditional polls or betting markets? With new data from Vanderbilt showing gamblers outperformed pollsters in 2024, h…

Published on 2 hours ago

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

Episode 1619

Billionaire trader and philanthropist Jeff Yass joins Michael to discuss his $100 million donation to the University of Austin, a new institution co-founded by CBS News Editor-in-Chief Bari Weiss tha…

Published on 22 hours ago

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

Episode 1618

41 days later...Eight Democrats broke ranks to help end the government shutdown — but was it the right call? Michael weighs in on today’s hot-button Smerconish.com poll question and explains why comp…

Published on 1 day, 2 hours ago

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

Episode 1617

The #1 movie on Netflix, 'A House of Dynamite', imagines the unthinkable: a ballistic missile headed straight for Chicago. Michael Smerconish sits down with screenwriter Noah Oppenheim and former Whi…

Published on 3 days, 22 hours ago

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

Episode 1616

'Sandwichgate' has concluded. Did the jury get it right in acquitting the man who threw a sandwich at a federal officer? While the internet laughs and trades condiment puns, Michael isn’t amused — he…

Published on 4 days, 1 hour ago

Frank Luntz Sells Democratic Socialism (As An Exercise!)

Episode 1615

Michael challenges Dr. Frank Luntz—legendary GOP messaging guru—to do the unthinkable: craft a winning pitch for democratic socialism. Luntz lays out a step-by-step playbook built on fairness, freedo…

Published on 4 days, 21 hours ago

Democratic Socialism: Could It Win Over America?

Episode 1614

Michael dives into a thought-provoking question: Could America embrace democratic socialism if its principles were better understood? With a focus on Zohran Mamdani’s mayoral victory, the rising inte…

Published on 5 days ago

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

Episode 1613

Michael sits down with political analyst Mark Halperin the morning after a pivotal Election Day. They unpack the surprising demographic shifts in Virginia and New Jersey, the widening gender gap amon…

Published on 5 days, 22 hours ago

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

Episode 1612

Michael Smerconish breaks down the Democrats’ big question after Election Day: Which path forward makes the most sense — the moderate model of Abigail Spanberger and Mikie Sherrill, or the progressiv…

Published on 6 days, 2 hours ago