Buy American or Save Money? Smerconish Breaks Down the Trade-Off
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.
12 Touko 18min
A BODY IN THE SNOW: Michael Smerconish Is Totally Consumed By The Karen Read Case
A deep dive into the case of the death of Boston Police Officer John O'Keefe, in which Karen Read, who was in a relationship with O'Keefe, is accused of killing him in January 2022. The first trial resulted in a hung jury, the second is now underway. Michael gets the full briefing on what has happened in this conversation with Flint McColgan, reporter at The Boston Herald, after watching the HBO docuseries on the case, "A Body In The Snow." Original air date 9 May 2025.
9 Touko 24min
When You Mingle, You Flourish: Inside the Global Flourishing Study with Dr. Byron Johnson
Michael Smerconish sits down with Dr. Byron Johnson of Baylor University for a thought-provoking conversation that explores groundbreaking findings from the Global Flourishing Study—the largest longitudinal research effort ever conducted on well-being, spanning 200,000 people across 22 countries. They discuss why wealthier nations like the U.S. may be falling behind in true life satisfaction, the importance of social relationships, and how isolation, technology, and the decline of in-person interaction are reshaping global happiness trends. Drawing comparisons to the well-known World Happiness Report, Johnson and Smerconish highlight how flourishing is more than just financial prosperity—it's deeply tied to relationships, meaning, and purpose: It is tied to MINGLING! An essential listen for anyone trying to understand what it really means to live a "good life" in the modern world.
9 Touko 20min
Why Kamala Harris Lost: Smerconish Breaks Down Biden’s Bold Claim
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.
9 Touko 16min
Autism and Vaccines: What the Science Really Says
Michael dives into one of the most sensitive and misunderstood topics in public discourse today: the rise in autism diagnoses and the persistent myths surrounding vaccines. Prompted by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s recent pledge to “find the cause of autism,” Michael critically examines those claims and reflects on his own past interview with RFK Jr. He then speaks with Dr. Annette Estes, Director of the University of Washington Autism Center, to unpack the science behind autism’s rising prevalence, the role of genetics, environmental factors, and the impact of changing diagnostic criteria. Dr. Estes also firmly addresses the long-debunked link between vaccines and autism and explains why the public’s energy should be focused on early identification and support rather than fear-driven theories. This thoughtful and informative conversation offers clarity in a space often clouded by misinformation. Original air date 8 May 2025.
8 Touko 34min
The Debate Over A Secure Career Path: College Degree v. Skilled Trade
Michael has three things that he's seen in the last 24 hours that bring this commentary and question he's asking to mind in this episode. It starts with a story in the New Yorker titled "Everybody is Cheating Their Way Through College", and then builds from there to get to what he's asking in today's daily poll question at Smerconish.com: Which is a more secure career path: College Degree or Skilled Trade? Listen to his thoughts, 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.
8 Touko 15min
Tariffs, Trade Wars, and Trump's Inner Circle Power Plays: A Deep Dive with Mark Halperin
Mark Halperin is editor-in-chief of 2WAY, author of the Wide World of News newsletter, and host of the "Next Up" podcast.
7 Touko 37min
Should transgender individuals be banned from military service?
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.
7 Touko 19min
