The Smerconish Podcast

Today's Poll Question at Smerconish.com: Agree or Disagree: An athlete's choice to accept or reject a White House invitation shouldn't be judged. The New York Knicks’ decision to accept a White House invitation from President Trump has reignited a long-running debate about sports, politics, and tradition. Michael Smerconish explores how White House visits evolved from largely nonpartisan championship celebrations into cultural flashpoints, tracing examples from Larry Bird and Michael Jordan to Steph Curry, the Eagles, and Saquon Barkley. Should athletes be free to attend—or decline—without public scrutiny? And what does it say about America when even a ceremonial visit becomes a political statement? 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
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Named The Most Influential Rabbi in America by Newsweek and one of the 50 Most Influential Jews in the World  by The Jerusalem Post, and twice named one of the 500 Most Influential People in Los Angeles by the Los Angeles Business Journal, David Wolpe is the Max Webb Emeritus Rabbi of Sinai Temple. Rabbi Wolpe has taught at Harvard, the Jewish Theological Seminary, the American Jewish University, Hunter College, and UCLA. Rabbi Wolpe has published widely, including in The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Washington Post, Time, Newsweek and TheAtlantic. He has been featured on The Today Show, Face the Nation, ABC This Morning, and CBS This Morning as well as series on PBS, A&E, History Channel, and Discovery Channel, and has engaged in widely watched public debates with Christopher Hitchens, Sam Harris, Richard Dawkins, Steven Pinker and many others about religion and its place in the world. Rabbi Wolpe is the author of eight books, including the national bestseller Making Loss Matter: Creating Meaning in Difficult Times (Riverhead). His latest is titled David, the Divided Heart (Yale U Press). It was a finalist for the National Jewish Book Awards, and has been optioned for a movie by Warner Bros.

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Today's Poll Question at Smerconish.com: How long will the Iran ceasefire hold: Less than six months, six months to a year, or more than a year? Michael examines the newly signed U.S.-Iran ceasefire agreement and asks the question at the center of today’s poll: how durable is this peace? He reviews key provisions of the memorandum of understanding, highlights concerns raised by critics, and explains why he believes the ceasefire is likely to last more than a year. The conversation explores unresolved issues involving Israel, Hezbollah, frozen Iranian assets, the Strait of Hormuz, and Iran’s nuclear ambitions. Plus, Michael reflects on the political fallout surrounding the agreement and what it could mean heading into the midterm elections. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com
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Michael welcomes political analyst Mark Halperin for their weekly conversation, covering the biggest stories shaping politics and public debate. This week: the New York Times’ deep investigation into Jeffrey Epstein’s death, whether unanswered questions still linger, Doug Sosnik’s argument that Democrats lost the 2024 election before President Biden exited the race, Josh Shapiro’s presidential prospects, Gavin Newsom’s emerging challenges, and why Donald Trump may be looking for an exit ramp from the conflict with Iran. A wide-ranging discussion on power, politics, and the stories driving Washington. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com
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Today's Poll Question at Smerconish.com: Was 2024 already lost for Democrats before Biden dropped out? Michael examines a provocative argument from veteran Democratic strategist Doug Sosnik: that the 2024 election was effectively decided long before President Biden exited the race. Drawing on Sosnik’s Washington Post analysis, Michael explores three key factors—the decision to seek a second term, public dissatisfaction with immigration policy, and Democratic overconfidence following the 2022 midterms. Was Biden’s late withdrawal merely the final chapter of a campaign already headed for defeat, or could a different nominee and a longer runway have changed the outcome? Cast your vote and join the debate. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com
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