Michael dives into a hot-button issue with today's poll question at Smerconish.com: Should religious leaders be permitted to endorse political candidates in churches and other religious centers without losing their tax-exempt status? The IRS just made a quiet but potentially seismic shift — is this a free speech win or a threat to the separation of church an ... Show More
Yesterday
MLB Legend Jim Abbott’s Story Will Break You Open
In this deeply moving episode, Michael reunites with legendary one-handed MLB pitcher Jim Abbott, whose incredible journey is now the focus of the new ESPN documentary "SOUTHPAW". Abbott shares how he overcame bullying, physical limitations, and public doubt to throw a no-hitter ... Show More
31m 33s
Jan 2025
The Hit Song that Gave Us MLK Day
January 15, 1969. It's been less than a year since the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Friends, family, and followers are gathered at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, where Dr. King preached. They are there to remember him on his birthday, honor his legacy, and pre ... Show More
35m 34s
Oct 2024
509. America in '68: The Assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. (Part 2)
The peaceful figurehead of the Civil Rights movement in the early 1960s, Dr Martin Luther King had inspired hundreds of thousands to demand equal rights for African Americans. But by 1968, the once uniting leader seemed to be losing popularity, both amongst activists and in the p ... Show More
1h 4m
Nov 2024
510. America in '68: The Killing of Robert Kennedy (Part 3)
“What we need in the United States is not division; what we need in the United States is not hatred; what we need in the United States is not violence and lawlessness, but is love, and wisdom, and compassion toward one another”
As Attorney General during JFK’s presidency, Bobby h ... Show More
1h 6m
Jan 2024
The Double Life of a Civil Rights Icon
Some of the most enduring photos of the civil rights movement were taken by Ernest Withers. A native of Memphis, Tennessee, Withers earned the trust of Martin Luther King Jr. and other civil rights leaders. But as it turns out, he was secretly taking photos for the federal govern ... Show More
50m 9s