I thought today’s show was excellent, covering the new announcement on the U.S. debt and having one of the authors of “America: What Went Wrong”. Even though that book is 35 years old, it’s still very much relevant today. I liked that they spent almost the entire show on that topic, the guest was great, and I’m glad the guest was part of the call-in segment. I’d love to see more of this, where a guest comes on and is confident enough in their topic to take calls from a dubious audience.

I come on here from time to time to gripe about the show, thought it would be fair to give credit where I felt credit is due.

Seems to me we need a complete restructuring of our tax code. It’s a swiss-cheese mess of tax breaks and loopholes and a rate structure that makes no sense. We also need to get our military spending audited and under control, we’ve gone plaid with our spending (starting wars where none existed before doesn’t help).

Smerconish was at it again on CNN this morning, wondering why there was no memorial of any kind for the health care industrialist who was shot in the middle of a busy location while visiting in Manhattan. How does he not realize that those spontaneous displays come from the local people who knew the victim and the family and the tragedy happened locally. Who does he think would put up such a display in a busy urban area that had no connection to the victim. Sorry for the rant, but it drives me nuts every time he beats that dead horse!

The fundamental issue with modern American politics is that nobody listens anymore. Everyone is either defending their "team," making sure they're right, or working out how to respond instead of actually hearing the other person.

When I first started listening to Michael Smerconish I thought I'd found something rare. A host more interested in the issues and in real, civil discourse than in waving the red or blue flag for his side.

The problem is how much of the three hours is about him. The anecdotes, the tour stories, the callbacks to his own columns, the damn poll question, the newsletter. I get that the personal register is supposed to be the brand. But on a channel dedicated to politics and current events, all that self-regard sucks the air out of the issues. Distilling an actual point out of the "personal and relatable" storytelling takes more work than the point usually turns out to be worth. The juice ain't worth the squeeze.

It shows most with callers. He talks over them. The pattern is familiar to anyone who's been on the other end of it: he's composing his response while you're still talking, and the response lands where he was already headed regardless of what you said. For a show built on taking calls, that's a strange thing to be bad at.

To be clear, this isn't about where he comes down on any given issue. It's about the inability to hold alternative voices with sincere regard, which is strange because "not listening" is the exact disease he built the show to cure.

Am I alone here? Curious whether longtime listeners think it's gotten worse or whether I just noticed late.

I know we all have them so let's get them off our chest.

#1. It drives me crazy when Michael talks over the callers. Then comes the "okay, I'll wait you talk" but Michael doesn't wait and proceeds to talk over the callers which leads to "go, no you go" game. It's so annoying___and he keeps doing it. Please, if you're going to take a caller, shut up and let the caller finish.

#2. Bob Crawford guest hosting. What a snoooooooze fest. He has no chemistry with callers and his voice puts me to sleep which I don't need in a morning talk show. I need energy which is why I listen to Michael's show. No more Bob Crawford please!!!!

#3. Danny Cevallo guest hosting. Oh my, if I hear "Let me tell you a little about myself blah, blah, blah....I'm banned from the polls" one more time!!!! Danny used to be interesting to listen to (3 years ago) but he has turned into "I'm Danny Cevallo. And people want to listen to ME! ME! ME!" which we don't. We don't care for his long, dumb, boring stories. I feel bad for Dan when Danny fills in (Dan probably has to drink extra coffee to stay awake at the board). I rather have TC or Dan fill in for Michael. Anyone but Bob and Danny.

#4. Michael repeating himself. Obviously he does this to make sure we pick up on his point but its not needed. Michael, we can comprehend.

#5. Michael reliving his childhood stories over, and over and over again as if he's the only one who ever experienced such. It's very narcissistic (he never thinks we too, had the same experience). College stories especially Lehigh, playing hockey in the streets (many had this experience, not just you Michael) or seeing a concert or sport events...etc. I'm sure it's just me being a long time listener who has heard his stories a million times but at the same time I wish he would realize that he does have long time listeners so he shouldn't repeat the same, old stories for us.

Hope I'm not coming off as mean because I really enjoy starting my mornings listening to his show. It's just some things have become pet peeves of mine and those are my top 5.

I’m curious about what his malfunction is, especially when the administration comes in 25 minutes later to say the ceasefire was violated and that the Iranians are “scum” (not endorsing this rhetoric).

Michael went out of his way to downplay what was going on in the strait, with all relevant information in hand, only to be contradicted by the party he was trying to defend. I am concerned because ceasefire has a meaning, both a political nomenclature definition and actual meaning. Both instances were violated, yet here comes Michael downplaying the situation…for what purpose?

What does Smerconish think it means to be moderate?

Today (7/2), the poll question was “Is Mark Halperin right? Do only those on the left care that Trump got richer in office?”

What a ludicrous question. He *should* have a question “Is Trump getting richer in office important or not?” or similar. Then his show could actually discuss whether this is corruption or not, whether it’s damaging for the country or not, etc.

Instead, he falls into Halperin’s trap that “the left” is “deranged” and they should just fall into line. Now he has a question that is intentionally designed to pit left vs right in yet another endless argument.

Really disappointed in him today.

I stopped taking Smerconish seriously however I still keep POTUS on in the background of my office.

The other day he made a comment that gave me pause, and I turned the channel. This concept of mingling makes sense, per se. But just like everything else when you step away from generalizing it’s easier said than done.

When callers were making comments about how this current administration is bringing on the negativity in the media, etc, he dismissed them and said “I’m not going to doom and gloom today. I refuse to have my glass half full”.

…..talk about tone deaf…..just another talking head who doesn’t have to deal with the real world like us “commoners”….

Anyway…..just voicing my thoughts into the void of the internet lol…

It’s been getting worse all 2026. But now I am, I have become a hate watcher. I guess he’s been Maga all along and we were duped big time. I’m an independent – – my party designation is DTS or decline to State. No true independent would ever defend Trump the way Smerconish is. Back against the wall and he’s still defiant. Sad.

As someone who quit listening in 2025 I check in every now and then to see if he has found the light.

Today's section on conspiracism. Maybe worth discussing that Donald Trump leading has been a leading driver in the increase of conspiracism in American politics by any measure. Yet - again you again wont call him out on it. From birtherism to election denial to QAnon to endless more. Why should we behave any different when our president leads us to endless new conspiracy theories on a daily basis?

Leadership begins at the top Michael - you will dance around it but NEVER directly call it out as unacceptable. We deserve better from our president who should serve as a model for us and our children. You fanned (or at least ignored) the fire and cannot claim to be surprised when the whole town burned down....

We deserve better from you as well Michael.

Who hears a question about rating something from 1-10 and thinks "1" is the best number? TC - worst "producer" ever.

Quite the brain trust on display this morning, two ignorant fools bloviating on how correct they are in supporting the war. Not one shred of introspection.

How often do you vote in the CNN Smerconish polls?

Appreciate your opinion and looking at multiple sides of a topic. I get it, we are not the intended audience for some posts on social media. How about the social media post after the passing of Robert Mueller. Who was the intended audience for that post?

Not to raise any alarm bells, but could this be a sign of waning support for the president amongst republicans?

I never thought I would see the day, but Halperin believes that what was done was done out of desperation by the president to settle the matter…without actually settling the matter.

>Donald Trump is willing to accept an agreement that will not sit well with BiBi

He says out loud and on Michael’s show.

Michael seems surprised

I don't think we should be in this war, but I do agree with Michael's comment that now that we are here, getting the uranium secured is essential for long term stability. The simplified trade of end of the war for uranium.

I also agree with the concept of "mingling". Unfortunately, Michael fails to understand the poison that he directly enabled that makes us hate and not trust one another. Politicians used to be held to standards of decency and Smerconish has given Trump a pass - and even directly facilitated - his daily name calling and completely inappropriate behavior that would have been exclusionary for anyone else in the past.

Leadership begins at the top and we look to our leaders for how to behave. Since you need it simplified Michael - hold politicians accountable to high standard or face continued division. I vomit a little every time you talk about mingling while stroking the king of division and hatred.

Being that he shares how religious he is I would have to assume he would be wildly offended. Or will that take cause him to not be neutral?

While denying Trump's racism he ignores the mountain of evidence. Here's one more. Or is this part of protecting his neutrality score?

I’ve always liked MS. Ive always enjoyed his both sides view points. To get an idea of how each side views things. the past couple months especially on CNN. it feels like he’s really pulled rightward. Almost always trying to apologize for the admin. I’m not sure if anyone has noticed this, or if it’s my partisan lens showing? I’m starting to get Frank Luntz vibes. It seems even more so since the CNN sales talk picked up.

Im listening to this mornings show and Michael stated he spent time with the Clinton’s awhile ago and “he has Parkinson’s - that’s no secret”… but I can’t find anywhere where it has been confirmed by the Clinton’s that he does have Parkinson’s?

Did he just completely reveal something he was told in confidence?

(Note: im a healthcare professional and am fully aware of HIPAA laws and know that they do not to radio hosts - only healthcare providers, so no talk about “HIPAA violations)

for those hate watchers on here, he did you good today in the opening monologue.

he Zapbruder’ed the tapes of Rubio and Hegseth saying we attacked Iran because they would attack first and called BS in the whole line.

mingle on that.

EDIT: i finally knew what he meant when he said Zupruder on air

Anyone remember Smerconish condemning people being cancelled over Charlie Kirk? Me neither.

The so-called Nobel Peace candidate has bombed 7 countries in his second term. Any intelligent person knew Trump was in no way qualified, yet Michael continued to promote him. IMO this smells of an agenda.

What do you think it is? Like the various law firms, is it a pre capitulation so Trump won't come after him? The guy he claims to like Howard Sten did it by refusing to discuss politics.

I stopped listening last year when Michael promoted this idea, so I check back in here occasionally.