What do Mario Puzo’s “The Godfather” and Colin Powell’s life rules have in common? According to Admiral James Stavridis—quite a bit.

Listen in as Michael sits down with the former NATO Supreme Allied Commander to unpack his bold and unconventional commencement address recently delivered at Adelphi University. Drawing surprising leadership lessons from The Godfather, Stavridis inspires graduates with wisdom from Don Corleone to Colin Powell. The conversation then widens to geopolitics including NATO strategy and the Russia-Ukraine war, Israel and Iran, and the controversy over the gifted Qatari jet. Timely, thoughtful, and unexpectedly entertaining—this is an episode you won’t want to miss. Original air date 22 May 2025.

Is Donald Trump about to board a luxury $400 million jet gifted by Qatar—and use it as Air Force One? Michael breaks down the jaw-dropping New York Times report detailing the backdoor deal, the secret talks, and the national security concerns over retrofitting the jet for presidential use. Will Trump cut corners to get in the air fast? Plus: the ethical firestorm over Trump's private dinner with crypto investors, meme coins, and the biggest questions yet about presidential pay-to-play politics. Listen to Michael's take before you head over to Smerconish.com to answer today's daily poll question: Will Donald Trump ever fly on the gifted Qatari jet as AF1 while he's still President?

Michael sits down with Laura Silver, Associate Director at the Pew Research Center, to unpack the state of trust and neighborly connections in America. Drawing on the latest 2025 Pew survey data, they explore whether Americans still trust most people, know their neighbors, or engage in simple acts of kindness like watering plants or making small talk in a grocery store.

From the decline of local media to the rise of digital isolation, this episode covers why Americans report more willingness to help others than they expect in return, and what this says about the social fabric of the country. Is it a crisis of connection? Or a misperception of division? Tune in to find out—and maybe be inspired to knock on a neighbor’s door. Original air date 19 May 2025.

Today's Daily Poll Question at Smerconish.com asks: Should police be permitted to use facial recognition technology in public spaces to identify and locate individuals wanted by law enforcement? Michael dives into the legal, ethical, and privacy implications of this controversial tool, sparked by a revealing Washington Post investigation and insights from a leading ACLU expert. Where should we draw the line between safety and surveillance?

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.

Michael invites the professor of Economics and Public Affairs from Princeton University's Department of Economics and School of Public and International Affairs Dr. Owen Zidar, to talk about the "Stealthy Wealthy". Dr. Zidar breaks down the demographic of wealthy Americans who "make their money the boring way". Original air date 20 May 2025.

Today's Daily Poll Question at Smerconish.com asks: "To counter Donald Trump's influence, should the Democratic Party recruit and embrace celebrity candidates?" 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.

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.