The Smerconish Podcast

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
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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
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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
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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
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Michael asks a deceptively simple question: Should parents have the final say on their child’s vaccines? Dr. Brian McDonough joins to examine the Trump administration’s changes to childhood vaccine recommendations, the science behind the longstanding MMR schedule, rising measles concerns, and a growing crisis of trust in government health agencies. Plus, callers weigh in on where parental choice ends and public health begins. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com
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