The Smerconish Podcast

Let's check in on the workplace, post-pandemic. Are the increasing number of "Return-To-Office Mandates" working? New research suggests...not so much. Listen to Michael's conversation with University of Pittsburgh Professor of Business Administration Mark Ma, and then the audience's own experiences. Original air date 30 January 2024.

The US military is having difficulty recruiting the number of enlisted people it needs to keep proper staffing levels. This has Michael asking today's Daily Poll Question at Smerconish.com: Should the military enlist individuals who didn’t graduate from high school or get a GED? Listen to him lay it out, then vote, and leave a rating and review of this podcast.

Michael Bamberger, now senior writer at Golf.com, was a senior writer at Sports Illustrated for over 20 years. He talks to Michael about his exclusive smerconish.com piece "The Rise and Fall of Sports Illustrated." Original air date 29 January 2024.

As President Biden mulls over a decision following what happened over the weekend, Michael asks this Daily Poll Question at Smerconish.com: Should the U.S. strike Iran in response to Iranian proxies causing the deaths of 3 U.S. service members? Listen here, vote there.

TC and Dan were skeptical at the beginning of the month. Michael has the finish line in sight for a successful "Dry January" staying away from both booze and cigars. Original air date 25 January 2024.

With a hat tip to law professor Shanin Specter, Michael asks this Daily Poll Question today at Smerconish.com: Which is more responsible for the apparent death of a border deal: Donald Trump or the Senators who listened to him? Listen to his thoughts here, then vote!

Michael in conversation with Vanity Fair special correspondent Brian Stelter.

New research from the Pew Research Center on religion in America is out. Michael offers this Daily Poll Question at Smerconish.com today: Is the growth of the religiously unaffiliated good or bad for society? Listen to his thoughts and then vote!

After introducing you to a very important member of our team, Associate Producer Tamsin Vidal, Michael offers his thoughts on the New Hampshire Primary results and what's next in the 2024 presidential race. Original air date 24 January 2024.

Former President Trump won the New Hampshire Primary and is expected to be the Republican presidential nominee, so Michael asks today's Daily Poll Question at Smerconish.com: Who will Trump pick as a running mate? He offers the following choices: Katie Britt, Tucker Carlson, Byron Donalds, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Nikki Haley, Kari Lake, Kristi Noem, Vivek Ramaswamy, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Tim Scott, Elise Stefanik, JD Vance, Other. Listen to his thoughts here, then vote!

You read that title correctly - listen to Michael's great conversation with journalist McKay Coppins, Staff Writer at The Atlantic. For many Americans, the former president has become an abstraction. They should see for themselves what his campaign is really about. Original air date 18 January 2024.

Today is the New Hampshire Primary. It is seen as Nikki Haley's last shot - so Michael asks today's Daily Poll Question at Smerconish.com: Would Trump be the leading GOP candidate had he NOT been indicted? Listen here, then vote! And, please rate and review this daily podcast.

Republican Strategist Alex Castellanos joins Michael following Florida Governor Ron DeSantis dropping out of the 2024 presidential race. Castellanos writes in Politico on "the bizarre decisions behind a $130 million debacle." Original air date 22 January 2024.

Today's Daily Poll Question at Smerconish.com: Should U.S. aid to Israel be conditioned upon Israel’s acceptance of a post war, two-state solution? Listen to Michael explain it here and offer his thoughts, and then vote!

Michael welcomes Patricia Murphy as well as your calls to the podcast to discuss allegations of an improper romantic relationship between Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis and the private lawyer hired as a special prosecutor. Original air date 19 January 2024.

Nikki Haley made headlines for her claims that "America has never been a racist country." Michael asks you to react to that statement with today's Daily Poll Question at Smerconish.com: Do you agree that “America has always had racism, but America has never been a racist country”? Listen here, vote there!

Michael welcomes journalist Jeff Greenfield for a conversation on his Politico opinion piece "5 Scenarios for What Might Come Next in New Hampshire ." Original air date 18 January 2024.

After MSNBC and CNN opted to not carry (at all, or partially only) former President Trump's Iowa Caucus victory speech this week, Michael is asking you today's Daily Poll Question at Smerconish.com: Should major events involving Donald Trump, such as an election night victory speech, be carried live by the media? Listen here, then vote!

What's next for Ron DeSantis and Nikki Haley? Michael gets the latest insights on the 2024 presidential race from Mark Halperin at Wide World of News. Original air date 17 January 2024.

As the presidential contest moves on to New Hampshire, all eyes are still on what happened in Iowa with media outlets calling caucus results before the caucusing was actually finished. Michael asks you today's Daily Poll Question at Smerconish.com: Is a media outlet projecting election outcomes before all votes are cast effectively the same as conducting and publicizing pre-election polling? Listen here, vote there!