The Smerconish Podcast

Michael wishes Godspeed to President Joe Biden. According to a statement released by his personal office on Sunday, former President Joe Biden was diagnosed with an "aggressive form" of prostate cancer that has spread to his bones. He received This prostate cancer diagnosis on Friday, with a Gleason score of 9. Original air date 19 May 2025.

Today's Daily Poll Question at Smerconish.com asks: Agree or disagree: "Most people can be trusted." Listen here for Michael's take, then cast YOUR ballot at Smerconish.com, and please leave a rating and review of this podcast! 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.

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth recently ordered a 20% cut in four-star military officers. What exactly do those four stars mean and represent? Michael talks to Admiral James Stavridis - a retired four star Navy Admiral. A fascinating inside look into this really high military rank. Original air date 6 May 2025.

Today's Daily Poll Question at Smerconish.com asks: Was James Comey's "86 47" social media post a threat to President Trump? Listen here for Michael's take, then cast YOUR ballot at Smerconish.com, and please leave a rating and review of this podcast! 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.

SiriusXM Celebrity Guest Host (and NBC/MSNBC Legal Analyst) Danny Cevallos breaks down the trial of music star Sean "Diddy" Combs. If you know nothing about this fascinating legal case, this is the explainer you want to listen to. Cevallos notes Combs' defense team argues that he is "not on trial for" domestic violence, assault, or rape. The prosecution argues otherwise, of course. On a day that Combs' ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura continued testifying on the stand, listen here for the expert legal analysis you need. Original air date 15 May 2025.

Today's Daily Poll Question at Smerconish.com asks: Should citizenship be automatically granted to those born in the United States to parents who are in the country illegally or temporarily? Listen here for Michael's take, then cast YOUR ballot at Smerconish.com, and please leave a rating and review of this podcast! 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.

Mark Halperin shares what insight he got into President Joe Biden's administration and potential coverups of the former President's health, from what has been made public so far in Jake Tapper's new book "Original Sin: President Biden's Decline, Its Cover-Up, and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again", which is due to be released next week. Original air date 14 May 2025.

In efforts to shield President Biden from scrutiny over his health, were his aides primarily engaged in rationalization or deliberate scheming? That is today's daily poll question at Smerconish.com. Listen here for Michael's take, then cast YOUR ballot at Smerconish.com, and please leave a rating and review of this podcast!

Arthur C. Brooks is a contributing writer at The Atlantic and the host of the How to Build a Happy Life podcast. He is also a professor at the Harvard Kennedy School and the Harvard Business School, where he teaches courses on leadership and happiness. Brooks is the author of 13 books, including the No. 1 New York Times best seller From Strength to Strength: Finding Success, Happiness, and Deep Purpose in the Second Half of Life and Build the Life You Want: The Art and Science of Getting Happier, co-authored with Oprah Winfrey.

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.