Michael and TC take a run through today's hand-picked headlines that you'll find in the Smerconish.com Daily Newsletter. This is a podcast exclusive - Headlines didn't make it to air today as we aired the State Funeral of President Jimmy Carter on the SiriusXM radio program. 9 January 2024.

Today's Poll Question: Are insurance companies better positioned than politicians to drive meaningful action on climate change? Listen here to Michael's take! The Daily Poll Question is a thought-provoking query each day at Smerconish.com on a political, social, or other human interest issue. Entirely non-scientific, it always begins a great conversation. Michael talks about it in this podcast each weekday. Listen, then vote at Smerconish.com, and please leave a rating and review of this podcast.

Before Chris Matthews became known as the host of MSNBC's Hardball for 25 years, he was a speechwriter for former President Jimmy Carter. One day before Carter's State Funeral, Matthews joins Michael to reflect on his time working with the 39th President. Original air date 8 January 2025.

2WAY Editor-in-Chief and Wide World of News political analyst Mark Halperin makes his first appearance of 2025 on the podcast, focusing on the Trump transition, with 12 days to go until Inauguration Day. Will the US acquire Greenland? How about the Panama Canal, and will the Gulf of Mexico be renamed? All things that President Trump has hinted at in recent days. Michael and Mark break it all down. Original air date 8 January 2025.

Today's Poll Question: Should Meta focus more on protecting free expression or on combating misinformation? Listen here to Michael's take! The Daily Poll Question is a thought-provoking query each day at Smerconish.com on a political, social, or other human interest issue. Entirely non-scientific, it always begins a great conversation. Michael talks about it in this podcast each weekday. Listen, then vote at Smerconish.com, and please leave a rating and review of this podcast.

A new Congestion Pricing System began in New York City this week, where it now costs a minimum of $9 to enter midtown Manhattan, depending when and where you are coming from. Michael gets the scoop from WABC "The Other Side of Midnight" host Frank Morano, who also tells us about some wild ways people are modifying their license plates to try and avoid the toll. Will this help ease congestion in the largest city in America? And, will it help pay for planned transportation infrastructure upgrades as officials have planned? Listen here. Original air date 7 January 2025.

Today's Poll Question: After the passage of a few years, should the media delete past coverage of minor crimes? Listen here to Michael's take! The Daily Poll Question is a thought-provoking query each day at Smerconish.com on a political, social, or other human interest issue. Entirely non-scientific, it always begins a great conversation. Michael talks about it in this podcast each weekday. Listen, then vote at Smerconish.com, and please leave a rating and review of this podcast.

Michael welcomes attorneys William J. Brennan and Michael van der Veen in studio on the 4th anniversary of the January 6th insurrection at the U.S. Capitol in Washington. They represented President Trump in his second impeachment trial, and are currently representing several J-6 defendants. The conversation centers around Michael's poll question today on whether the Department of Justice should still prosecute non-violent January 6 participants, given Trump's pardon promises once he takes office again later this month. Original air date 6 January 2025.

Today's Poll Question: Given Trump's pardon promises, should the DOJ still prosecute non-violent January 6 participants? Listen here to Michael's take! The Daily Poll Question is a thought-provoking query each day at Smerconish.com on a political, social, or other human interest issue. Entirely non-scientific, it always begins a great conversation. Michael talks about it in this podcast each weekday. Listen, then vote at Smerconish.com, and please leave a rating and review of this podcast.

Michael is very taken by a guest essay in the New York Times written by longtime democratic strategist James Carville titled "I Was Wrong About the 2024 Election. Here’s Why." Listen and see if you agree with Carville's take, and what the audience says as to why Kamala Harris lost the 2024 election. Carville loudly predicted ahead of Election Day that Harris would win. Original air date 3 January 2024.