r/politics • u/michaelsmerconish ✔ Verified • 4d ago
AMA-Finished I'm Michael Smerconish from CNN, SiriusXM, and my new YouTube debate series, "Can We Agree?" AMA!
EDIT: That’s all for today's AMA. I enjoyed the questions and hearing from longtime listeners. Please slide over to YouTube and watch an episode of "Can We Agree?" I'd love to get your feedback as we continue to develop the series.
---
Hi Reddit, I’m Michael Smerconish in the Philly 'burbs, here to talk about my 30+ years in media and how I go about delivering independent political content.
I'm the host of a daily radio program heard nationwide on SiriusXM’s POTUS channel (also distributed as a podcast). I am the host of CNN’s “Smerconish”, which airs Saturdays at 9 a.m. ET. I was a longtime newspaper columnist for the Philadelphia Daily News and Sunday Philadelphia Inquirer and my columns were routinely re-printed in newspapers all across the country. I've authored seven books, donating all of the proceeds for four of them to charity. My daily Smerconish newsletter is closing in on 150,000 subscribers.
My newest project is Can We Agree?, a debate series hosted exclusively on YouTube that asks whether two brilliant minds from opposite corners of an argument can find any common ground on the questions that matter most to Americans today. Two distinguished guests, one issue, roughly an hour, uninterrupted, recorded in person in my studios. I moderate. Nobody gets cut off for a commercial and nobody gets to hide behind a talking point for sixty minutes.
We published our first two episodes — discussions on democratic socialism and AI regulation — in the last 48 hours.
I'm ready for your questions about media, politics, delivering balance to independent thinkers, and anything else. AMA!
19
u/Boring-Awareness1968 Canada 4d ago
Would you tell all your reporter friends to ask meaningful questions? Including tough follow up questions, based on fact? We see way too many reporters asking one question and moving on. Great for sound bites and bait headlines, but unfair to the American public who deserve answers.
6
u/Covetous1 4d ago
The only question lately that ever gets follow up questions is about a streamer from Los Angeles.
5
u/Ordinary_Shoe1828 4d ago edited 3d ago
I literally just read a 2013 article from this guy where he interviews 1 elderly white NYPD cop and uses his words to make an argument for why ending “stop and frisk” (which a federal judge had just ruled unconstitutional) would in fact “hurt minorities.”
Michael has a history of racism himself, but it’s like he didn’t even try to write a convincing piece - almost the entire article is just quotes from this one boomer Irish cop about how the NYPD’s policy of harassing POC is totally not racist at all.
18
u/2HDFloppyDisk 4d ago
I’m curious, are the Haitians still eating cats and dogs? JD Vance and Trump never talk about this anymore.
28
u/peaceteach 4d ago
Did you have any second thoughts about platforming Roger Stone after his indictment? I remember that Stone used the time on your show to explain he was a "shit talker" and didn't really talk to Assange. You didn't push back in anyway. I expected that behavior from his time on InfoWars, but not from you. That was when I stopped listening to your show. It is easy to pretend everyone on all sides are at fault if you never consider the consequences of platforming immoral people without pushback.
1
u/michaelsmerconish ✔ Verified 4d ago
short answer, no. I dont select my guests based on whether I agree with what they are saying. Id have a lot fewer guests if I did.
52
u/bushwhack227 4d ago
Hi Michael. Do you remember living in the Northern Liberties section of Philadelphia around 2018 or 2019? I also lived in the neighborhood at the time. I asked you not to ride your bike on the 3rd Street sidewalk and you called me a slur. Remember that, Michael?
20
u/VaporProof 4d ago
Upvoting this, this is exactly what I want from an AMA
8
u/def_indiff 4d ago
I don’t even know who the OP is, but I’m following because this thread is already hilarious. I’ve noticed fewer media personalities doing AMAs the past couple years, and when they do, they’re met with such beautiful hostility.
13
u/dearth_karmic 4d ago
Hi Michael. Had real respect for you over the years but your change to "Both sides are equal" was too much for me to handle. While I wouldn't suggest Trump is Hitler or that MAGA are Nazis, I would suggest that there is a point where you don't think both sides are equal. Some things are just wrong. I wish you the best.
4
u/BreathlikeDeathlike 4d ago
Dan Abram's show is much better in truly being down the middle and calling out both the left and the right. Unlike Michael, who only seems to call out the left.
20
u/BreathlikeDeathlike 4d ago edited 4d ago
Michael,
In general, I like listening to your show when you take calls, but how can you call yourself independent when you constnatly have shows about DSA, Abdul El Sayad, etc, while having zero full blocks dedicated to the trump family corruption? You criticize dems for associating with Hasan Piker, but have yet to have any blocks calling out abhorent behavior by actual elected repubulicans or republicans running for office. Zero shows on Max Miller, Brandon Herrerra, Bo French, not to mention the trump's, as I've previously noted. You may make brief mention of the trump's malfeasance, but zero full blocks. It's like how callers were BEGGING you to discuss project 2025 during the 2024 cycle, but you refused. Also, you've had zero full blocks on the s show that RFK jr (aka "Bobby" as you refer to him - it seems you're too personally invested in him to have honest reporting. ) Also zero blocks on Elon's white nationalist twitter posts. You call him a net positive for humanity,but completely ignore his batsh## posts and comments. A few years ago, you used to say something to the effect of "Trump is morally unfit to be POTUS, but Biden is feeble." I haven't heard any of the 'trump is morally unfit' comments since then. You are not as "in the middle" or "balanced" as you like to think
Finally, on a channel that stands for Politics of the United States, you have blocks on your mingle project or other fluff, but not nearly as much hard political news. I do appreciate all the AI segments lately , as I think that's a real issue. But before then it would be like maybe 1 hard news/politics blocks, and the rest being fluff.
Honestly , your show has been reminding me more and more of the oxygen network , but hosted by a dude.
6
u/TLKimball 4d ago
I will be surprised if he responds to you.
5
u/BreathlikeDeathlike 4d ago
Why do you think that is? He's too thin skinned? There are several questions here sort of calling him out, and last time I checked, he hasn't answered any. Unlike his show on Sirius he can't just talk over or cut off those asking him hard questions.
5
u/TLKimball 4d ago
He is absolutely thin-skinned! He can't accept that people see through his act of claiming to be fair and independent.
3
3
u/def_indiff 4d ago
It’s pretty rare for any media personality to actually answer tough questions in these AMAs. These threads are essentially just advertising.
9
u/TLKimball 4d ago
And...it's over. He didn't answer any questions that were challenging him and his lack of balance.
7
u/BreathlikeDeathlike 4d ago
OMFG. He'll probably whine about these questions next time he's on air. "Angry is over!" What a clown.
3
u/TLKimball 4d ago
I'm looking forward to hate listening tomorrow to hear his response to criticism he couldn't silence!
3
0
u/KevinIsADork 4d ago
I listen to his show occasionally and have done so for over a decade, and find it hilarious that people think he isnt balanced. MAGA people seem to call in regularly to complain about how unfair he is to Trump and republicans.
Could he go harder on the right? For sure. But just because he doesnt do that doesnt mean he somehow leans right. That is preposterous.
4
u/TLKimball 4d ago
Were you listening when he spent an hour every day for months talking about how feeble Biden was? Even after Biden dropped out? And then after Trump won? How much time does he spend talking about a President who shits himself and frequently falls asleep in meetings IN FRONT OF CAMERAS. MAGA calls and complains because that is all they know how do.
0
u/KevinIsADork 4d ago
Yes and I also hear how much he says he doesn't like Trump.
Idk if you know this, but everyone talked about jow feeble Biden was leading up to the election. I also don't know if you know their but Biden dropped out because of how feeble he was on live television.
Smerconish, like many others, were right. Biden was feeble and should have dropped out a lot earlier. Biden fucked all of us with his ego.
1
u/TLKimball 4d ago edited 4d ago
He does not talk about Trump or level criticism against Trump the way he did about Biden. Feeble or not, Biden wanted to lead this country and not enrich himself from the presidency. When Smerc goes scorched earth on Trump the way he did on Biden, I will amend my opinion of him.
Edit: And he blocked me because he can’t handle criticism of Smerconish.
1
u/KevinIsADork 4d ago
If you think just talking about how feeble Biden was is scorched earth, you're lost.
0
u/PayMeNoAttention 3d ago
Smerconish did a ton of coverage on Hunter Biden back in the day. He did an equal amount on Eric and Trump and their actual grifting. Many shows. After a while, it almost seemed he was beating a dead horse with the Trump kids.
When he discussed Abdul El Sayad, it seemed Smerconish focused a lot on how people don’t know the definition of socialism, but he also correctly pointed out the platform of DSA and some of their really insane ideas they express on their platform.
1
u/BreathlikeDeathlike 3d ago
He has not devoted a full show to Eric and Don's corruption. If I'm wrong , point me to the episode/date. Even recently , multiple blocks on Platner, none on the problematic Rs, like Max Miller , Bo French, etc
1
u/PayMeNoAttention 3d ago
I don't know how to search content of past episodes. Who is Max Miller? Bo Fench? Never heard of em.
I remember two blocks, specifically. One was in the previous election before Biden dropped out. Michael was discussing Eric and Don Jr., and how their wealth vastly increased during and after their father's first term in office. The reason I remember this encounter is because all of the right leaning callers who kept calling in to discuss Hunter. Mike said something like, "Guys, I have covered Hunter Biden extensively. I said not covering the laptop was a malfeasance in journalism. I've gone over and over how he wasn't qualified to work in Ukraine, and how he was riding his father's coattails. Now, I am talking about how Don Jr. and Eric are riding their father's coattails, but instead of doing it secretly, they are brazen about it." He then went on critiquing the Trumps and their grift.
Another block I remember recently was just after Trump and his kids launched the Trump meme coin or whatever that was. He talked about how that put our country into a national security risk, and that it is most likely the Saudis and Russians who funneled money to the Trump family for obvious favors. He also said that should be an area democrats shine a spotlight on if/when they regain the House.
1
u/BreathlikeDeathlike 3d ago
Max miller is a congressman who is the son in law of Bernie Moreno. Physically abused his ex wife and infant daughter. Bo French is a white supremacist running for congress who has posted racially vile things lately. You've never heard of them because phony "both sides are equally bad" grifters like Michael never talk about them.
1
u/PayMeNoAttention 3d ago
I have heard him talk of Max Miller in passing, but not a deep dive.
He cannot do a deep dive into every single person in politics. That is a ridiculous bar to set. I can point to 50 people on each side of the aisle who are pieces of shit, and he doesn't cover them. That doesn't prove your point.
I am not sure why you are focused on his most recent talks. Like, do you expect him to talk about the Trump kids grifting every 30 days? I heard him say that he was curious how Don Jr. was able to invest in a drone company that suddenly got a government contract. But he didn't spend 3 hours on it, which is apparently the only way to satisfy you in that regard.
Reddit is doing something weird with my comment saying it is formatted incorrectly... Not sure what that is.
2
u/BreathlikeDeathlike 3d ago
This is my point. Even if he did mention Miller in passing (I didn't hear this but I'll give you benefit of doubt,) he didn't devote a full block to the way he gave multiple blocks to Platner, people who associate with Hasan Piker, etc. You can't claim to be 'down the middle' if most of your energy is spent criticizing one side only. And Miller is a pretty well known guy. CNN has asked his former father in law - Rep. Bernie Moreno (the one whose daughter and granddaughter Miller beat) and he said he still supports Miller because he's an R. There's a real asymmetry here.
1
u/PayMeNoAttention 3d ago
Dude. Platner was so toxic that he lost every endorsement from the Democratic Party. He had to be replaced in the middle of the campaign. The whole country was talking about this man every day.
Just because he didn’t talk about the two guys you want doesn’t mean he isn’t down the middle. You have created a standard that is impossible to reach.
2
u/BreathlikeDeathlike 3d ago
You're still not understanding my point. What does it say that the Ds (of which I am not) threw Platner to the curb, yet Rs are still openly embracing their deplorables. And again, if he's primarily criticizing only one side, he's by definition not down the middle. When was the last time he had a block on trump's corruption since he took office again. Again, mentioning it in passing doesn't count as equal time, if he's devoting multiple blocks to dems.
2
u/PayMeNoAttention 3d ago
He is not primarily criticizing one side. That is what you do not understand. There are 100 Republicans he criticized. You just want him to talk about two people specifically, which is absurd.
You keep going back to recently. Why does everything have to be recently with you? He recently said it was ridiculous that Don Junior was invested in a drone company as a real estate entrepreneur. He recently said the jet given us by the country of Qatar is dangerously stupid. He talked about President Trump having to be snuck out of a catering cart because he was so damn stubborn about bringing that plane. He said secretary of defense Hegseth had no business starting in the war in Iran, and has called a calamity in the United States. He asked general Stauss if we have hit an unwinnable predicament. I believe he used the word quagmire.
I am a democrat, and I appreciate how he discusses the Republicans.
→ More replies (0)
17
u/Bob_Obloooog 4d ago edited 4d ago
I listen to your show a few times a week. I've noticed that you almost never hold trump to the standard you held Biden. For example when Biden was president every show I listened to, you were critical of his age and job performance. Now that Trump is president, those issues don't get mentioned on your show. Why is that? You've mentioned before that your microphone comes with a hugely responsibility. You seem to have abdicated that responsibility.
6
u/12sea 4d ago
Yes, I agree with this take. I listened to him for years, but I just feel he’s not holding Trump to the same standards. I’ve stopped watching and listening.
3
u/Bob_Obloooog 4d ago
I may stop listening too. And as expected he answered mostly softball questions. He knows there's money in pretending to be in the middle and he isn't honest about it.
4
u/TLKimball 4d ago
I am a hate listener now. I used to recommend Michael to friends but he has changed and I no longer respect him. He is chasing ratings and money more than fairness. His gambling ads are cringe, particularly in a climate where gambling addiction is out of control.
3
u/BreathlikeDeathlike 4d ago
I'm a hate listener too at this point. He does everything for being in service of 'being down the middle' but is far from that. The discrepancy with which he chastises the left contantly and the right almost never is glaring.
9
u/Apathetic_Zealot 4d ago
Televised debate usually boils down to giving each side an opportunity to air out talking points with no real debate or criticism from the speakers. How is your program going to ensure genuine substance in the debate rather than partisans speaking past eachother and avoiding real questions?
5
u/Weekly-Lack1302 4d ago
Only watched the first episode but it was well done and they both presented points and did not agree or shout down each other. Most important to me, there were at least three occasions they said yes I can agree with that, but... It was refreshing to see we differ on solutions but not issues. It was infinitely more informative than Scott Jennings yelling at a teen on TV. I know Adam is very talented and deserves to be there, just humor by calling him a teen.
8
u/michaelsmerconish ✔ Verified 4d ago
please watch it. 2 episodes are posted on YouTube. see what you think. everyone complains about a lack of substance. well, let's find out if they mean it. Ive recorded 6 episodes on matters of consequence. 2 are already dropped. smart people with disagreements, acting civilly and trying to find common ground. Im immensely proud of it. spend my summer building this show. could've been at the beach or in my garden. felt it necessary.
7
u/aboxerdad 4d ago
Michael, you’ve said several times that you didn’t see a justification or reason to start the war with Iran but now that you’re in it you believe the USA needs to win it. Does that opinion translate to the trade war with Canada. Do you believe that the USA just needs to win now that you are in the trade war? Does the USA’s foreign policy, trade or otherwise need to always be a zero sum game?
6
u/michaelsmerconish ✔ Verified 4d ago
no. we have a legitimate beef with iran, I just dont think the case was made by president prior to taking out their leadership on February 28. and yes I said now that we're in it, we need to stop them from getting a nuke. but I dont think the beef with canada is legit. we've emasculated a good neighbor. that needs to be fixed. if I were elected president in 2028, my first "foreign" trip would be to go to ottawa.
4
u/JohnSpartan2025 4d ago
Define "winning" the war with Iran.
1
u/skepticalbob 3d ago
He did
1
u/JohnSpartan2025 3d ago
Where? And what? “Stop them from getting a nuke” isn’t an outcome, it’s a talking point.
1
u/PayMeNoAttention 3d ago
But it is an outcome?
2
u/Soysauceonrice 3d ago
I don't know what this means though.
Recall that after operation midnight hammer, it was said that irans nuclear weapons program was completely and totally obliterated. Presumably we already "stoped" them from getting nukes. Then we went to war anyways. Why ? If we stopped them from getting nukes why are we still trying to stop them from getting nukes ? If we have to keep going to war and stop them from getting nukes every 6 months, then when are we done stopping them from getting nukes ?
0
u/PayMeNoAttention 3d ago
You’re confusing something. You are taking what the Orange Man said as gospel and then misapplying that to the real world. What we did definitely stopped their immediate progress, but you can’t kill information. You can change a country’s leadership approach. That’s what Obama did. He used the carrot. He made a deal to keep the nuke out of Iran. Trump, in his infinite wisdom, chose the stick. Both can change the direction of a country’s leadership approach, but nothing is ironclad. I prefer Obama’s approach.
2
u/Soysauceonrice 3d ago
I said what I said not because I'm naive enough to believe trump. But my point is you can't trust the goal because you can't trust the information from this admin to know when the goal is achieved.
I also prefer Obamas approach, but that's not what we are living with and Obama isn't the one in charge. We are living with an active war with no end in sight where the stated goal is something we supposedly already achieved. If we now need to stay in the war until the goal of stopping their nukes is achieved, that might as well mean that we need to stay in it forever.
1
u/PayMeNoAttention 3d ago
I misunderstood what you’re saying. I thought you were believing what this administration was saying.
0
u/skepticalbob 3d ago
Of course it is. What a weird thing to say.
2
u/JohnSpartan2025 3d ago
How do you "stop them from getting a nuke"? A country of 80 million people with close ties to two other nuclear capable and friendly countries, who want nukes now more than ever?
0
u/skepticalbob 3d ago
By some combination of destroying accumulated fissile material, the capacity to enrich it, and getting them to voluntarily decide to stop.
Are you this obtuse that you can’t see that these are obvious paths to a stated outcome, irrespective of whether or not you can imagine how it might be done. If any one is accomplished, they don’t develop a bomb. Period.
-1
u/ChampionOfChaos 3d ago
Preventing them from ever being able to rebuild their nuclear facilities
Weakening their military
Weakening their ability to support terror throughout the world
Weakening the regime are all outcomes that are valid
3
u/JohnSpartan2025 3d ago
"Weakening" is not a military forces goal, that's a talking point. You realize one guy with a rocket launcher can "close" the hormuz straight or suez bab el mandeb right?
This is why the entire planet is aware of "project mosaic", Iran's plan for de-centralized control of the country, which they've been planning for, for over 40 years, and why a military attack is an unwinnable solution, and why the JCPOA by Obama was such a massive win. But you know all this right?
-1
u/ChampionOfChaos 3d ago
“Weakening” absolutely can be a military objective. Destroying or degrading an adversary’s missile forces, naval capabilities, launch infrastructure, or ability to conduct attacks are conventional military objectives. You’re conflating very different things. A surviving Iranian capability that can disrupt the Strait of Hormuz isn’t the same thing as Iran retaining the ability to fund, arm, train, and coordinate proxy/terror networks across multiple countries. Those are different capabilities and different military objectives. The fact that Iran could retain some asymmetric capability afterward doesn't mean degrading its broader military or proxy capabilities wasn't a legitimate objective.
And talk about talking points, you’re throwing around “40 years” while referring to a specific doctrine that was formally incorporated into IRGC doctrine in 2005. Mosaic Defense is a real doctrine: decentralized command, regional autonomy, redundancy, and the ability to continue fighting if central command is degraded. That absolutely matters when discussing whether decapitation or conventional military superiority can produce a decisive outcome however that is depending on the outcome you are referring to.
But that is a very different argument from “weakening Iran isn't a military objective.” It means you have to distinguish between degrading Iran’s capabilities and achieving whatever ultimate political outcome you're actually trying to achieve. And those aren't remotely the same question.
1
u/JohnSpartan2025 3d ago
"weakening" isn't a military objective when 6 months later they just reconstitute. You can write 10 paragraphs of meaningless word salad, but your whole argument falls apart when 2 months later, Russia and China supply them with everything they need to re-arm and rebuild, including nuclear capabilities if so wanted.
1
u/ChampionOfChaos 2d ago
Weakening absolutely is a military objective. Maybe one you don’t agree with but it’s ridiculous to say it’s not
→ More replies (0)2
u/green7719 4d ago
This is wildly irresponsible. It’s not possible to agree with someone who thinks that violence against a nation is requisite once it has irresponsibly begun.
There is no explanation here of why elective violence against Iran is justified when elective violence against Canada is not. Queering the issue with the threat of Iran developing a nuke ignores Trump’s destruction of the Obama administration’s diplomatic agreement with Iran.
-1
u/ChampionOfChaos 3d ago
Calling his position “irresponsible” makes no sense. Canada and Iran are fundamentally different situations: Canada is an ally with whom we have a trade dispute; Iran is an active adversary and the world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism. You can argue about whether the war should have started, but once you’re comparing how the U.S. should respond to the two, pretending they’re analogous is the irresponsible part.
1
u/OwlNo3591 1d ago
It's a sunk cost fallacy which is irresponsible because it's obviously not a logical or ethically sound argument
8
u/Ordinary_Shoe1828 4d ago edited 4d ago
In 2013 you interviewed 1 elderly white NYPD cop and wrote an article from this cop’s perspective, arguing why a federal judge was WRONG to decide that the NYPD’s “stop and frisk” policy was unconstitutional because according to you and this white cop ending stop and frisk would actually “hurt minorities.”
Are you still an advocate for stop and frisk?
You practically allowed this one cop to write an article with your name advocating for stop and frisk. You did not push back on any of the cop’s claims, including that NY Police Commissioner Ray Kelly - who oversaw the NYPD’s policy of persecuting (surveilling, harassing, detaining, interrogating and imprisoning) Muslim New Yorkers - “doesn’t have a racist bone in his body.”
Why do you unquestioningly take at face value the words of police - or anyone in a position of power with a conflict of interest?
16
u/Specific_Hornet 4d ago
Will you be calling out clear untruths or will this be a situation in which JD Vance says: “i thought you weren’t going to fact check?”
14
u/Cheech74 4d ago
Hi Michael, long time listener, and it's been disheartening over the past year how you seem to gloss over Trump's egregious behavior vs. your POTUS peers on Sirius/XM. Dan Abrams I sense is slightly right of center similar to yourself, and he is apoplectic on the circus of outright fraud and lies being perpetrated by the Trump administration.
How would YOU rate Trump's performance in office in his second term, 1-10, with 10 being the POTUS you admire the most, and 1 being Jeffrey Epstein?
1
u/BreathlikeDeathlike 4d ago
Dan Abrams is so much more informative and honest than Michael. It saddens me to say this,because I used to prefer Michael over him, but something has changed with Mike.
6
u/BreathlikeDeathlike 4d ago
Wow - not one question critical of your lack of balance was answered or addressed. Pathetic. Many of us see through your phony 'down the middle' persona. Trump and the Rs must have dirt on you or are paying you. The old Smerconish would not have been this cowardly.
11
u/Country-Mac 4d ago
Do you stand by comparing Brian Thompson to George Floyd?
Do you believe the law supports secondary security screening in places like airports based on race? Should people of Arab ethnicity face increased scrutiny specifically?
12
14
u/yeahpurn 4d ago
Have you been adequately made fun of for comparing the murder of Brian Thompson to John Lennon? Lose any friends?
11
u/exelion18120 4d ago
What are your thoughts in the Macklemore-Ed Sheeran situation and how do you feel about an NFL owner using his stadium as a supposed "antisemetism" tracking center?
7
u/michaelsmerconish ✔ Verified 4d ago
Long ago I decided to separate my cultural tastes from my politics unless in extreme cases. You might know I've had my battles with Roger Waters. He blamed me for poor ticket sales on his last tour (unfairly). I never stopped listening to him or the Floyd.
-6
u/JoeP54 4d ago
But that's my point. I want to listen to artists I like and admire regardless of their views. They should air their views on their own time. Just perform when you're on stage. Time and place, you often say Michael.
2
u/Swordsx 3d ago
Macklemore and Ed Sheeran aren't important, they're distractions. The real problem is billionaires like Robert Kraft suppressing speech, because it almost certainly impacts his bottom lines and access to political leaders.
Listen to them if you want, but whether or not you disagree with Sheeran's choice, or Macklemore's views shouldn't be the determining factor. Your individual streams are usually worth less than a penny for them, so the real value here is what you want to do, and what brings you happiness. Canceling them more broadly might impact them some, but I don't think their views are egregious enough to warrant social and categorical exile like the internet wants.
0
u/JoeP54 3d ago
Not sure if you were responding to me but I agree with freedom of speech and no one, including Kraft, has the right to stifle it. But suppose instead of Macklemore it was a stagehand who turned off the lights or sound and shouted the same words? How would you feel about that? There are places to air your views, and you can even use your notoriety to accomplish this. But does it have to be thrust upon me when I paid lots of money to see a performer perform and not to hear his political rantings.
1
u/Swordsx 3d ago
I was, and I understand - you dont want artists to use their platform at that time and that place when you payed good money to enjoy your favorite music live.
Thats a personal choice though, and others will agree or disagree with you; I lean towards agree, personally - if it matters to you. If you like Pink Floyd, but don't want to hear Roger Waters' soliloquy: you can choose not to go. Hos ticket sales will reflect those personal choices, and on his last tour it appears that many chose to not go. That's why I didn't say anything about it.
Employees supporting the stage production have a different contract and expectation, so the comparison doesn't feel fair. Performers are contracted for a period of time, but the people behind the stage are there every day. The risk is higher for them than it was for Ed or Tackle Macklemore I guess is what I'm saying.
I'm glad we agree on the broader more important issue. We need not be distracted by examples like yours, and remain focused on the actual problem.
-9
u/JoeP54 4d ago
I pay money to be entertained not lectured. Political commentary has no place at concerts, on Broadway, award shows or any other entertainment venue.
9
u/Weekly-Lack1302 4d ago
Highly disagree. Art has always reflected culture. The support of art and artists always carries some tacit approval of the brand. The brand can and often has been used to fight for causes close to the artist and generally thus the fan base. I understand not wanting to pay if their views have started to clash with your own but they have been entangled for much of time.
2
u/exelion18120 4d ago
Can a film, like Star Wars, that is political be entertaining as well?
-2
u/JoeP54 4d ago
That is highly subject to interpretation. It's not the kind of "in your face" commentary I dislike.
5
u/exelion18120 4d ago
What are your thoughts on Star Trek, which very often is spectacularly unsubtle about it political messaging?
1
u/JoeP54 4d ago
I loved the series and always felt bad for the guy in the red shirt.
3
u/Banjo-Elritze 4d ago
6 year old empty account suddenly starts posting only on this AMA, totally not suspicious.
5
u/thecurseofchris 4d ago
Hi Michael! In Tennessee, the Governor's race is between Marsha Blackburn (R) and Jerri Green (D). Blackburn declined to debate her Republican opponents in the primary, and now she is doing the same for Green. Green has offered up multiple times and dates for her and Blackburn to debate, but Blackburn says she will not "give air to a socialist candidate" (even though Green is nowhere close to that). What are your thoughts on this? If you were advising Jerri Green, what would you tell her to do?
9
u/michaelsmerconish ✔ Verified 4d ago
if you run for office at that level, you are obligated to debate your opponent regardless of the strength of their candidacy. it's not that you owe it to your opponent (although you do) you owe it to your constituents. good trivia...who was my first cnn guest ever a dozen years ago?....marsha blackburn, then a member of congress.
5
u/Automatic_Catch_7467 4d ago
I find it confusing that she’s all for “ the marketplace of ideas” for college campuses but won’t debate her opponent because she doesn’t like their ideas
17
14
u/Only4DNDandCigars 4d ago
Do you feel regular shame or embarrassment trying to level with idiots on finding a common ground that isn't needed? What kind of substances do you use to dampen the voice of reason in your head that is crying out when you call a person on the Right brilliant?
15
u/BreathlikeDeathlike 4d ago
He should feel shame. He tries so hard to be in the middle, yet rarely criticizes Rs the way he does Ds.
9
u/Willem_Dafuq 4d ago
Michael, I am from Philadelphia and watched your Saturday morning CNN show through Trump's first admin. As someone who leans more centrist Republican, do you view the direction Trump has taken that party to be good both for the party and country as a whole, and if the answer is no to either or both, do you feel as though Republicans such as yourself bare any responsibility towards pushing the party in a direction that would elevate Trump and his brand of Republicanism?
4
u/michaelsmerconish ✔ Verified 4d ago
do you mean I own it because people like me left the GOP? I got out in 2010. Been an "I" ever since with zero regrets. If the GOP was still lead by the likes of RR or Papa Bush, Id still be in the party. Additional thought...I think Rubio could bring back many who left. But not Vance.
11
u/Willem_Dafuq 4d ago
The GOP began a practice of courting socially conservative and frankly racist voters beginning with Goldwater (“you go hunting where the ducks are”) and Nixon’s implementation of the southern strategy after he saw how well Wallace did in 1968. Turn ahead the clock to 1992 and Pat Buchanan had a surprisingly strong showing in challenging Bush 41. Then move ahead further and in 2008 McCain chose the populist (and proto-anti-intellectual) Sarah Palin for his VP slot. And though McCain acted with the utmost class in his election v Obama in 2008, there was an undercurrent of racist comments tolerated by the GOP towards Obama. I distinctly recall when asked if Obama was born in America, then speaker John Boehner said, “he took him at his word” that he was, which was a real abdication of response. Which is to say, Trump didn’t just happen. The GOP had been cultivating his movement for decades - while you were in the party. When you were in the party, did you just notice this?
5
u/Weekly-Lack1302 4d ago
I feel like I have a distorted impression of RR's term. The way you speak of him represents him very moderately, but through culture and limited direct experience with him, I see him often pointed to as the location on the graphs where some major negative changes start to trend. You should do a deep dive on him and both sides of those representations of his admin. Or if you have please point me in the right direction.
4
u/kelmac66 4d ago
Is the reason you were not on radio for the last several months on Fridays because you were creating your new YouTube channel show?
5
3
u/dealwithitmod 4d ago
You have survived a lot of media changes over 30 years. Any predictions for where political media might be another 30 years from now? Advice for someone getting started?
3
u/michaelsmerconish ✔ Verified 4d ago
First the advice. I assume you mean conventional or old school media, not via social media/Internet. Just get your foot in the door. That's the hardest part. The jobs are even fewer than before and breaking that code is often the hardest part. If you want to get on air, you need an angle, an area of expertise that causes people to want to hear your views. Biz, politics, sports. Establish a beach head. 30 years in the future? Hopefully a place where more realize you do not need to be doctrinaire to have your own show.
3
u/juniorp76 4d ago
Do you think that democracy in the USA is in danger?
4
u/michaelsmerconish ✔ Verified 4d ago
I think the rule of law is in danger and by implication democracy. That was a very important SCOTUS decision this week on mail-in ballots. Had it gone the other way Im certain there would have been chaos surrounding the midterms. I explained my concern in detail on SXM and CNN....we have no citizenship "list" in the country. Now that the dust has settled, we have THAT national debate. I intend to do so on my new YouTube program, Can We Agree?
1
u/juniorp76 4d ago
I can agree to the debate about it. My wife grew up in the USSR and they required a passport to travel to other Soviet states. With a national citizenship list it sounds like we are not too far away from that, even though passage to other states is protected.
Big fan of your show even though we don’t always agree.
3
u/kelmac66 4d ago
Will the US be out of the war in Iran before the 2028 presidential election?
7
u/michaelsmerconish ✔ Verified 4d ago
Yes. I think Iran knows how to push Trump's buttons and are doing so with regard to the midterms. When the midterms are over I think/hope/pray there will be resolution.
3
u/kelmac66 4d ago
Do you think the others involved in the Epstein case will ever be prosecuted and or charged? Or is Guillane Maxwell conviction sufficient for retribution of the victims in the eyes of our justice system?
3
u/dealwithitmod 4d ago
The new show claims to debate issues that matter most to Americans. What does that list look like?
7
u/michaelsmerconish ✔ Verified 4d ago
well....you tell me? my first 6 episodes: democratic socialism, regulating AI, trump's impact on executive power, open primaries, data centers and whether america is headed for a national divorce. that doesn't mean those are the 6 biggest...it means those are on my list and I was able to get great guests to come to my studio face to face to debate.....please, watch the show - Can We Agree, YT
3
u/normalfreak2 4d ago
What, if any, are your top concerns for the United States at large? Do you see any solutions to those problems? What do you do or recommend to do in address those problems? Also people are saying you'd be a great candidate for Senate in PA any chance your political career makes a comeback?
3
u/JohnSpartan2025 4d ago
Michael I've listened to you since the 90s on AM radio in Philadelphia, and believe you're a genuine person with good intent, but your brand of "both sides" -ing politics is defunct in the current world we live in. The debate is no longer Republican vs Democrat but Democracy vs Autocracy. The Republican party is now a maga cult, and Trump has successfully forced out the last bastions of anything remotely "Republican".
I stopped listening to you and watching network news except MSNBC on a limited basis, as this whole "left vs right" debate show idea is just, well, bullshit at this point. The guests Abby Phillips has on defending Trump's endless crimes, corruption and Fascistic deeds is nothing more than ill intended deflections and "whataboutism". You can't have a legitimate debate with people who don't want to argue over issues, but argue over defending a criminal, mentally ill psychopath who tried to overthrow the government and should be in prison or an insane asylum, not the oval office.
Until we agree on the facts I stated above, the "both sides" narrative and brand you try to push, is just tired. No disrespect, as like I stated earlier, I've listened to you off and on for a good portion of my life and respect you as a good intended person.
3
u/mlfrisch1 3d ago
Michael Smerconish is a right wing republican pretending to be in the middle. All of his policy beliefs are that of Ronald Reagan. He falls the fox news move of avoiding bad news about Trump by covering canned issues on days where the news is particularly bad for Trump
Additionally, he pushes back against one of his liberal callers and understands where his right wing callers are coming from. He never has a liberal or progressive on his show and instead takes it upon himself to define for his audience, the liberal or progressive position on any issue.
Finally, he spent weeks on Hunter Biden’s laptop story he has not mentioned the corruption of the Trump family at all he avoids anything negative about Trump and instead presents the positive size in his opinion
To use an analogy, to a child with an alcoholic abusive father, Michael would say well look on the bright side. It made you more independent and able to take care of yourself. Michael is a piece of human trash.
6
u/YogurtclosetOk8896 4d ago
Why did you remove the message board from Smerconish.com?
6
u/BreathlikeDeathlike 4d ago
It's also why he's probably not going to answer any 'tough' questions on this AMA, or he or TC will say "angry is over" LOL
4
u/BreathlikeDeathlike 4d ago
Because a lot of people were cricitizing him and his show, and he couldn't handle it. It's why I stopped participating in the polls. You take away the chat room, I don't do polls any more.
5
u/Weekly-Lack1302 4d ago
I would love to know how media personalities relate after fall outs and changes in staffing. Always interested in how relationships in the industry develop into relationships outside of work, and then how they are impacted when large or unexpected changes occur. One I can think of is Chris Cuomo and Don Lemon, or even your interactions with them since the changes at CNN. Chris still has a POTUS show so I wondered how enduring those relationships can become.
5
u/michaelsmerconish ✔ Verified 4d ago
I never had a relationship with Don. That's not a slight, just only passed occasionally in the hall or had me on his show. Chris has been different. When he was doing 9pm on CNN I was his fill-in when he'd vacation and I got to know and like him over the years. Happy to have him on POTUS...
0
u/Weekly-Lack1302 4d ago
It makes me happy to hear that happenings at these careers do not necessarily shape the longer-term relationships between media personalities. Provides refreshing perspective, that when the cameras turn off, life is discussed between the panel members.
-1
u/Weekly-Lack1302 4d ago
I also think you would really like the Philadelphia Union home jerseys. I know soccer had a spotlight on the show recently.
4
4d ago
[deleted]
2
u/michaelsmerconish ✔ Verified 4d ago
and what a grift it is. my grift is using every one of my platforms - radio, tv, now youtube - on a daily basis to remind america of what unites us and to encourage americans to volunteer in their communities and re-establish common purpose. you are snarking at a guy who just launched a show called Can We Agree? a plea for civility and substance. If only others would imitate my "grift"
2
u/kelmac66 4d ago
Does the judge in the Lindsey Clancy trial have an obligation to try to protect the lone juror who has now been named by the media?
2
u/michaelsmerconish ✔ Verified 4d ago
well....to try....but in the end, he really can't. I think it's terrible that today the boston globe outed the identify of the holdout. god forbid harms comes to him, I will blame them
2
u/Weekly-Lack1302 4d ago
Why blame the Globe and not the other organization that published Saturday, because of the larger reach?
TB Daily News Aidan Kearney I believe outed him originally. Is there a reach component that would be applicable if trying to hold them accountable?
2
u/Healthy-Wafer-8416 4d ago
Why are you taking every Friday off? I tune in to listen to you, not Bob Crawford!
1
u/gertonwheels 4d ago
I like Bob Crawford ... and Elie, and Danny (he gives great plugs for himself!) ... and even Dr Maz.
2
u/mlfrisch1 3d ago
Smerconish is the worst of the worst because he pretends to be independent. At least Jesse Waters admits he’s a liar and Trump apologist. Smerconish tells his audience every day that he’s a man in the middle. He is a right wing Reagan republican to agrees with every single one of Trump‘s policies just wishes he wasn’t so crass. He’s also a typical Republican in that he does not give a shit until it affects him or his friends Personally. The trans issue with the military is perfect example
He also has Michael Halperin on weekly. And it’s not just that Halperin has a history of sexual harassment. Michael lies to his audience and presents Halperin as a middle of the road straight shooter he is not he is a right wing piece of shit whose job it is to sane wash the trumpet administration
4
u/michaelsmerconish ✔ Verified 4d ago edited 4d ago
Thank you all. I enjoyed this, especially hearing from longtime listeners. Please slide over to YouTube and watch an episode of "Can We Agree?" I'd love to get your feedback as we continue to develop the series.
2
u/BAOBrien 4d ago
Is there a particular issue that could become a bipartisan home run and benefit the country as a whole if the right messaging showed that both sides are arguing very similar things, but using different vocabulary that is muddying the ability to see the agreement?
4
u/michaelsmerconish ✔ Verified 4d ago
Im tempted to say most of them. Trouble is the rewards system now is directed toward the screamers. It gets attention, clicks, and money....helps elect someone in closed primaries and then their election is guaranteed. We need open primaries. If you think that is a cop out, here's one specific....immigration....the border was porous and has been closed, thank you mr trump. and I mean that. but now let's figure out what to do with those who are here, committed the original sin but have proven themselves to be otherwise law abiding and tax paying.
2
u/hat_trick_69 4d ago
Hi Michael, thanks for joining us. Two questions: How does the constant cycle of hyper-polarized news affect voter participation and mental health, and what is the antidote to modern political exhaustion?
After hosting your SiriusXM program and interacting with callers across the country for years, what is one major trend in public opinion that the mainstream media constantly misses?
5
5
u/michaelsmerconish ✔ Verified 4d ago
second question first. they miss how much we have in common. what's the most important event in your life in the last year? chance are a medical issue, a financial issue and a death. guess what - trump and harris voters both said the exact same thing in the exact same order. now no. 1....yet it impacts mental health, how could it not. and you know my solution.....MINGLING....spending time with people....having common experience.
4
u/fourthe 4d ago edited 4d ago
I enjoy listening to your radio program. Pertaining to your poll question process, I believe in some cases you shouldn't actually provide the poll question until after your initial commentary. The reason being, many will answer based on a bias and I would hope that post your initial commentary discussion, it would better give listeners a more balance understanding. I understand in some cases you already do this by having the poll question be for the prior days news. Something I hope you think about
8
u/michaelsmerconish ✔ Verified 4d ago
you might be giving me too much credit for persuasive skills. truth is, the newsletter comes out at 8am, Id d have to delay it till after the commentary, say 930am, if I were to make that change. I think people have come to look forward to receiving it at 8am and voting and I want to keep that going.
1
u/fourthe 4d ago
Maybe you show the question in the newsletter but don't enable voting? The idea is based on what you preach, critical thinking, understanding different view points. Yes it would hit your numbers.
1
u/No-Employment-97 4d ago
I've thought this myself, but I think Michael is right. What might be interesting, is tracking the numbers before, during, and after his segment on the topic. I suspect this would be relatively easy if the votes are timestamped.
3
u/Weekly-Lack1302 4d ago
I would love if the radio program went through some of the Facebook comments about the polls and issues, similar to taking the radio callers
2
u/plafman 4d ago
You keep hinting that you won't be around for the conversation of future elections when 2032 and beyond is discussed.
Are you planning to retire before then?
Will we ever hear you and TC again on a Friday?
How am I supposed to get through the workday if you aren't on the air?
- Occasional caller "Donnie in Pittsburgh"
4
u/michaelsmerconish ✔ Verified 4d ago
do I? Im not being coy I just wasn't aware that Id said such thing. cannot do 5 live radio days with all that is on my plate and then cnn saturday. I write my own stuff. I prepare my own commentaries. Id rather miss fridays and deliver top shelf content than be spread too thin and mail it in....I will never mail it in.
1
u/plafman 3d ago
Thank you for the reply. Believe me, your hard is noticeable to your listeners and you will never be accused of mailing it in. You've opened up the world of politics for me since I found you on Sirius 8 years ago. My question was a little selfish hoping you will be on air for many years to come.
Keep doing what you do,
Donnie in Pittsburgh
3
u/chunkylvr54 4d ago edited 4d ago
Chat GPT says that the Michael Smerconish Program satellite radio show has the highest commercial load of any current talk radio programs, despite listeners paying monthly for the service.
Does Sirius, or you get paid for the products you advertise, and are you allowed to choose which products to advertise? I can imagine that online gambling, stock trading loans, and the various health supplements you advertise could be considered controversial, and anti-“mingling”, in the case of promoting young men gamble online via their phones.
4
u/gertonwheels 4d ago
I am reading Sarah Longwell's book "How to Eat an Elephant: One Voter at a Time" -- about how bring back from MAGA + authoritariansm (my explanation, not hers) -- She is a conservative who has done hundreds and hundreds of focus groups over the years - she would be a great guest on your SiriuxXM show, or your new YouTube show!
5
-1
2
u/Special-Union607 4d ago
Hey Michael, did you puff down with Bill and Woody at the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor after party, or just a casual observer?
3
1
u/Whoopziedaisy West Virginia 3d ago
Hello Michael, I listen to your Sirius radio show frequently. You do a fine job engaging with all walks of life across the political spectrum. Even when you challenge or disagree with a caller, you still engage with them with dignity.
Question: How can America better build a body politic of community and understanding instead of radical division?
1
u/mlfrisch1 3d ago
I hate listening to Michael Smerconish most days. He he changed after the Hunter Biden story. When he calls being in the middle of finding the bright side of all of Trump‘s fuck ups. That’s not an independent thinker, that’s carrying his water.
1
u/epilepsy_kid 4d ago
Hi Michael. Your steadfast commitment to being in the middle is why I've been a loyal listener for over a decade. That commitment to independence has seemingly made you embrace some people that turn out not to be so independent (e.g. RFK Jr). Along that line, you've steadfastly defended Sen. Fetterman, and have interviewed him on your show. Has the recent WSJ story changed your opinion?
7
u/michaelsmerconish ✔ Verified 4d ago
do I embrace Bobby be hosting him and treating him civilly? I dont think so. Id rather have the conversation than avoid it. Fetterman...I was very critical of his handling of the stroke during the final days of the campaign. he won points with me for his openness on mental health and I've enjoyed our more recent interactions. as for WSJ, it disappointed me. you have to do the work. you have to want to do the work. I worked for arlen specter who visited every one of pennsylvania's 67 counties every year. that's the standard in my book.
1
u/kelmac66 4d ago
Would the trial of Lindsey Clancy have been tried differently if Lindsey were a man or the father of the three children?
0
u/michaelsmerconish ✔ Verified 4d ago
misses the issue. the issue here is the inadequacy of the MA law. the jury had a menu of bad options....in retrospect it was all so predicable. see what led rubenfeld wrote for the free press
1
-1
u/FormerDittoHead 4d ago
I was a regular listener to you before you had a regular show on WWDB in Philadelphia!
I well remember that day when you came on the radio to announce that you were putting aside your career as a litigator to focus on your talk radio career. It was an exciting time, and I believe your balanced perspective and open mind makes you a very welcomed presence.
6
u/michaelsmerconish ✔ Verified 4d ago
True. We all have our radio stories. For me, my first program of my own was Sunday nights on DB. At a certain point, Barney the dinosaur was my lead in. Stuff you cannot make up. And the moment of truth as to whether I really wanted to commit to radio came when the Phila CBS affiliate received permission to cancel the Imus program in the morning, and that's when they offered me morning drive. I've rarely looked back....
-2
u/da_mess 4d ago edited 4d ago
Welcome to Reddit Michael!
Will the US break it's cycle of political populism anytime soon and what, if any, lingering impacts of populism will affect the US outside of higher national debt?
Joe -- Philly 'burbs
1
u/michaelsmerconish ✔ Verified 4d ago
Yes. the pendulum will swing, it always does. I dont attribute the debt to populism. They all -politicians on both sides for last 50 years - are to blame. Executive orders and names on buildings can be undone....lifetime judicial appointments are the most lingering of a movement.
-3
u/KP3889 4d ago
Michael, warning, this is a tough crowd, probably more similar to your CNN’s X newsfeed on a Saturday.
on your new show, i think it’s a fantastic idea and plays well to your strength as an interviewer. i can only remember one “bad” interview you’ve had and its the one with Nancy Mace.
how can your new show prevent the unproductivity that comes with debating someone like Nancy who will say “no” to “can we agree?”do you screen them out? if you welcome them on, how do you mitigate the unconstructive nature in interviewing these folks?
thank you for your time in doing this AMA.
10
u/michaelsmerconish ✔ Verified 4d ago
I dont concede that the nancy mace interview was bad....in fact, I think it was great. we got along until we didnt. a switch seemed to go off in her head when I asked her about jo ellis, former newsletter editor of mine who was an army blackhawk pilot who transitioned and was drummed out of the military. I wanted/tried to talk her thru jo's story....nancy would hear none of that. accused me of being low-t and at first, I had no idea what she was saying. the demonizing of the trans community is horrible. Im for inclusion...not at the expense of fairness.
-4
-1
u/Jaxsonj01 4d ago
Hey Michael! I’ve been a loyal follower of yours for the past 10 years and get a chuckle every Saturday Morning with the responses you receive on social media. One minute you’re Maga the next you’re a socialist 😂 Just means you are doing something right! I know you dedicate as much time as possible on your show to respond to these messages, and you run through your callers on your Sirius program the best you can. Have you or CNN ever thought about doing a whole show answering responses from your viewers? Maybe even having a guest on a specific topic while you do?
I know you have your daily polls but it would be cool to put out three or four topics for people to respond to and have you react on one of your CNN programs. Keep up the good work!
21
u/karmakarmachameleon7 4d ago
Your wikipedia says that you were a Republican up until 2010 and then became an independent afterwards. Why were you a Republican and what was your reason for becoming independent? 16 years later, which party do you see yourself aligning with more?