The Smerconish Podcast

Bruce Hoffman is a tenured professor in Georgetown University’s Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service where from 2010 to 2017 he was the Director of both the Center for Security Studies and of the Security Studies Program and from 2020-2023 the director of the Center for Jewish Civilization. In addition, Professor Hoffman is Professor Emeritus of Terrorism Studies at St Andrews University, Scotland. He previously held the Corporate Chair in Counterterrorism and Counterinsurgency at the RAND Corporation and was also Director of RAND’s Washington, D.C. Office. Professor Hoffman also served as RAND’s Vice President for External Affairs and as Acting Director of RAND’s Center for Middle East Public Policy.Appointed by the U.S. Congress to serve as a commissioner on the Independent Commission to Review the FBI’s Post-9/11 Response to Terrorism and Radicalization, Professor Hoffman was a lead author of the commission’s final report.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Today's Poll Question: Are the New Orleans attack and Las Vegas cybertruck explosion connected? 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. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Aaron Brown, who's first day on-air as an anchor at CNN was on September 11th 2001, where he took live breaking news reporting to a new level, died Sunday at 76. Michael remembers the journalist, and shares a conversation he had with him in 2012 about his work on 9/11, which taught us many lessons. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Dive into the wild world of online shopping as a hilarious tale unfolds about buying used cologne on eBay. Explore the nostalgia associated with discontinued fragrances, weaving memories of loved ones with quirky anecdotes. Enjoy whimsical discussions on germ aversion mixed with a dash of excitement for vintage scents. The humor continues as the speakers reflect on the evolving fragrance landscape and the social implications of scent. Join in for an amusing journey full of scented memories and savvy shopping tips.

Today's Poll Question: Was Jimmy Carter one of America's better presidents? 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. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

There are some fascinating links between people's names and their political affiliations. Michael talks to Lenny Bronner, Principal Data Scientist for Elections at The Washington Post about his piece, "How Republican or Democratic is your name?" Original air date 18 September 2024. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Today's Poll Question: Could Joe Biden have defeated Donald Trump? 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. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Michael welcomes Annie Linskey, White House Reporter for The Wall Street Journal, to talk about the big front-page story that she wrote along with Rebecca Ballhaus, Emily Glazer, Siobhan Hughes, "How the White House Functioned With a Diminished Biden in Charge." Linskey writes, "Aides kept meetings short and controlled access, top advisers acted as go-betweens and public interactions became more scripted. The administration denied Biden has declined." Listen here for the full story, and listener reaction. Original air date 20 December 2024. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Today's Poll Question: What best explains the timing of recent reports on President Biden’s diminished capacity? New information, or coverup? 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 day. Listen, then vote at Smerconish.com, and please leave a rating and review of this podcast. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

David Wasserman, Senior Editor & Elections Editor at The Cook Political Report With Amy Walter, is an expert on voter self-sorting and data. Michael talks to him about a new app that allows users to see the political leanings of communities they might move to, just as they might consider taxes, crime, and school quality. Original air date 19 December 2024. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.