Are we a nation of hope or fear? Michael Smerconish asks which emotion is more potent in this election and how both candidates are trying to connect with voters. Former Pennsylvania Congressmen Conor Lamb and Charlie Dent predict which counties will tip the keystone state and determine the winner of the 2024 presidential election. Early analysis shows homeowners will lose billions of dollars in property damage from Hurricanes Helene and Milton. An unsettling trend finds millions of American homeowners relocate due to the rising cost of climate disasters. And finally, retired Admiral James Stavridis discusses the chances of wider regional conflict in the Middle East and the potential spike of global oil prices. 

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CNN’s Michael Smerconish asked presidential historian Allan Lichtman about the October surprise and if it ever impacts his prediction for who will win the race for the White House. Democratic strategist James Carville and senior political commentator David Urban debate on whether Vice-President Harris is playing it safe in this election. Best-selling author Malcolm Gladwell joins Michael to discuss his new book "Revenge of the Tipping Point." Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton gives her take about U.S. military presence in the Middle East and her new memoir "Something Lost, Something Gained." 

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Michael Smerconish begins with the breaking news out of Beirut, Lebanon where Hezbollah confirms their leader was killed from an Israeli strike on Friday. Aaron David Miller, a former State Department Middle East negotiator, tells Smerconish that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu may see this regional conflict as an "opportunity" to stay in power. Tim Ryan and Dr. Scott Jensen share their predictions for the CBS News Vice-Presidential Debate after both men shared a debate stage with JD Vance and Tim Walz, respectively. Finally, David Sanger, author of "New Cold Wars" believes that Netanyahu found himself in a unique moment in American politics which allows him to defy the United States and President Biden. 

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Michael Smerconish and Richard Clarke, a former White House counterterrorism coordinator, discuss the looming global threats facing the U.S. while the presidential race is saturated with salacious headlines. Corey Lewandowski, a senior Trump campaign official, addresses the latest scandal involving North Carolina Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson. A Purdue University Political Science professor and AI expert finds that politicians can benefit from blaming AI for real scandals instead of apologizing. A national campaign tested "mobile voting" for a few military families across the country and saw an increase in voter turnout. The pilot program is now advocating for all Americans to cast their ballots through their phones. 

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Michael Smerconish gives his take on the ABC News Presidential debate and discusses the latest on the 2024 race with Bakari Sellers and Salena Zito. Nearly three dozen election officials are warning the U.S. Postal Service may delay the mail-in ballot count. Former President Trump will also have access to $2 billion if he decides to sell his shares from Trump Media. Max Boot, a Washington Post Columnist and Pulitzer Prize finalist speaks with Smerconish about Ronald Reagan's legacy and his success as a moderate Republican. 

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Too close to call? New polling show Vice President Harris and former President Trump are neck and neck in critical swing states. The stakes of the upcoming debate are even higher as both campaigns prepare to face each other for the first time. Smerconish speaks with Republican Congressman Byron Donalds to get his reaction on Dick and Liz Cheney’s recent statements. Former Senior Advisor to the Obama White House David Axelrod also joins the show to discuss the latest on Trump’s sentencing hearing and how it could potentially impact the election.  

Later, ProPublica Reporter Annie Waldman breaks down the lack of mental health access under insurance providers despite ‘more than 1 in 5 U.S. adults living with a mental illness.” Following recent shootings, why aren’t more politicians advocating for a change to the system?  

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Michael Smerconish and Scott Galloway dissect the widening gender divide within Gen Z voters. 

Smerconish breaks down Trump's latest controversy following his recent visit to Arlington National Cemetery. Smerconish sits down with a military family member who lost her Daughter-in-Law during the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. Later, co-author of "The Canceling of the American Mind," Greg Lukianoff discusses Mark Zuckerberg's recent letter and Facebook's role in the 2020 election cycle. 

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Third-Party candidates played a critical role in the 2016 presidential election. Now that Robert F. Kennedy Jr. suspended his campaign and endorsed Trump... who will benefit more from his exit, Harris or Trump?

Plus: Michael Smerconish speaks with Washington Post Columnist Perry Bacon, Jr. about why Harris needs to take questions from journalists across local news outlets. And patriotism takes center stage at DNC. 

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Former President Trump is reverting back to personal attacks now that Vice-President Harris rose to the top of the Democratic ticket. Michael Smerconish questions whether Harris' success derives from Trump's inability to stay on message or is the media giving her a free ride?

Also on today's show:

** Is Kamala Harris getting a free pass from the media?

** Pollster predicts a wide gender gap among voters in the 2024 election

** Will not taxing tips help or hurt the service industry?

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VP possibility Josh Shapiro’s popularity “is really off the charts, extraordinary in a polarized era.”

Harris' mispronounced name controversy.

With possibility of nuclear arms being used in Ukraine and Iran, an expert warns, “nuclear war is as dangerous to civilization…. as the incoming asteroid was to the dinosaurs, 66 million years ago.”

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