Michael Smerconish

  • New York Times Bestselling Author
  • Host, "The Michael Smerconish Program" on SiriusXM
  • Host, CNN’s 'Smerconish'

Using the perfect blend of analysis and humor, Michael Smerconish delivers an engaging, thought-provoking, and balanced dialogue on today's political arena and the long-term implications of the polarization in politics.

Michael A. Smerconish is the host of "The Michael Smerconish Program" on SiriusXM Channel 124, the host of CNN’s Smerconish on Saturday mornings, newspaper columnist and author. He has often been recognized for his radio work. Talkers magazine has consistently named him one of America’s most important talk show hosts.

He is the author of seven books, two of them New York Times’ bestsellers. His published books are: Flying Blind: How Political Correctness Continues to Compromise Airline Safety Post 9/11; Muzzled: From T-Ball to Terrorism, True Stories that Should Be Fiction (a Times bestseller); Murdered By Mumia: A Life Sentence of Loss, Pain and Injustice (a Times bestseller which he co-authored with Maureen Faulkner); Morning Drive: Things I Wish I Knew Before I Started TalkingInstinct: The Man Who Stopped the 20th Hijacker; and TALK! (his first novel). Smerconish's book Clowns to the Left of Me, Jokers to the Right: American Life in Columns garnered critical acclaim, and all author proceeds are donated to the Children's Crisis Treatment Center.

 

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Past Hosts Include:
  • Missouri Hospital Association
  • Bar Association of Lehigh County
  • Institutional Investor Conferences
  • Anti-Defamation League
  • NASCO
  • Tiger Bay Club of Volusia County
  • SFPR
  • Greater Philadelphia Society of Financial Services Professionals
  • Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry
  • International Council of Shopping Centers, Inc.
Rave Reviews About Michael Smerconish
Michael Smerconish served as the closing speaker at our annual convention. He was extremely well-received and provided an engaging and insightful bipartisan view on the current status of the issues facing our nation and its implications for the future. In addition, he was very easy to work with in the pre event planning. I would definitely have Michael talk with our members again!

More rave reviews

"Blending relevant in-depth research with personal anecdotes, Michael presented his factual remarks to our 455 international attendees with clarity and an independent, non-partisan perspective that warranted the respect and standing ovation he received at the end. We look forward to the next opportunity to hear from Michael and, in the meantime, have shared the link to his daily newsletter with our members."

-Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel

"Michael's presentation to our audience was outstanding. Among the most substantive and insightful we have had. We've hosted world leaders, leading academics, and opinion leaders in a wide range of fields. Michael has been among our very best."

-Newsmakers (Lesher Speaker Series)

"Oh what a night !! Thank you for all you did to help create an evening that was extraordinary. Michael was amazing and the standing ovation he received said it all."

-Ohev Shalom of Bucks County

"It was a wonderful evening. Michael is a fantastic presenter and such a gentleman. He handled every question posed beautifully and gave every participant his full attention. The book signing went extremely well. All in all a terrific event that exceeded our expectations and we will not forget."

-Ohev Shalom of Bucks County

"Michael Smerconish was the perfect guest speaker for our fundraiser. Great story teller. Engaging. Topical. Entertaining. Insightful. Approachable. We had a wonderful evening discussing politics and current political issues with Michael Smerconish that was pragmatic and substantive without being personal. Very refreshing."

-Congregation Adath Jeshurun

"Michael delivered an insightful 45-minute speech about the current U.S. political environment that enthralled our partners and clients. …he was outstanding in the Q&A session as well, engaging our audience in an array of current relevant political topics. We will have him back!"

-PricewaterhouseCoopers

"Michael Smerconish presented a rousing speech packed with a factual, refreshingly honest breakdown of our country’s political landscape."

-Kansas Hospital Association

"Michael Smerconish’s keynote address at our IMPACT conference 3 weeks after the election was the talk of the conference. His analysis of Trump’s disruptive win and Clinton’s surprising loss shed light on the political climate that has been brewing over the past 30 years. Smerconish told an unbiased, relatable story that resonated with our audience. His insights were crucial to our attendee’s understanding of the current social landscape effecting their businesses."

-Grant Thornton LLP

"Michael Smerconish was the keynote speaker at our annual conference in Philadelphia. He provided an engaging view on issues of the day and his presentation was timely, informative, and entertaining. His keynote address was exceptionally well received by those in attendance and it truly set the stage for a terrific conference. I would recommend Michael to anyone considering an event speaker."

-International Council of Shopping Centers, Inc.

"Michael Smerconish’s talk at one of our recent events was absolutely superb. The audience was composed of individuals who are politically engaged and his remarks hit exactly the right tone. He was witty, insightful, impartial, and tremendously knowledgeable about the politics of the Commonwealth and the U.S. Highly recommend him."

-Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry

"Our Organization’s event planning committee was excited to have Michael Smerconish as our keynote speaker for our years largest event. We were thrilled with the mix of 45 minutes of humor and political insight that Michael provided. He possess a unique view from the inside of the political reporting process."

-Greater Philadelphia Society of Financial Services Professionals

"Everyone - all 234 people - LOVED Michael! He was insightful, bright, funny and warm. He shared stories that everyone loved. My husband just said, I could have listened to him all night. Couldn't be happier!"

-SFPR

"As this year’s program chairman, for our Annual Dinner speaker, the non-partisan political organization, Tiger Bay of Volusia County (FL), I couldn’t have been more pleased than with Michael Smerconish. At the cocktail party, before the meeting started, Michael was very personable and engaging with our members, something they appreciated tremendously. By the time I introduced him, and called him up on the podium, most of the people in the audience felt they already knew him. Michael ranks right at the top of some of the best speakers we’ve had over the last twenty-five years. You can tell what makes him such a terrific orator, is that he really does his homework, knows his material and doesn’t fumble around for words. And, to put the icing on the cake, he’s very humorous as well. For any organization that is looking for a spectacular program, Michael Smerconish can surely fill the bill."

-Tiger Bay Club of Volusia County

"Smerconish was fresh, entertaining and engaging. A genuine storyteller who connected with our audience from start to finish, Michael walked our audience behind the scenes of the media, between the aisles of Washington and into the everyday life of Michael Smerconish. We walked away with a better understanding of the polarizing views dividing our nation and a deeper appreciation that not every issue has to be black and white, us versus them. Most of all, we discovered that the simple conversational things about our lives are what matter most and make for the most interesting dialogue. Our attendees have seen many keynotes, and we wanted to give them something slightly different, something they haven’t seen or heard before. Michael gave us all of that and more. As a result, both NASCO and Michael have expanded our fan base."

-NASCO

"Michael made an excellent presentation at our Annual Board Meeting. He was extremely well received. His thoughtful, timely, and relevant presentation kept everyone’s attention. His warm and personal insights offered during his comments were enjoyed by all."

-Anti-Defamation League

"Michael Smerconish was very well-received at our event in Chicago earlier this month. In terms of content, he is a master of weaving together big ideas and down-to-earth examples. As for delivery, he is everything you would hope for from a talk radio guy: articulate and silver-tongued. He was easy to work with onsite, and our audience found his remarks insightful and entertaining."

-Institutional Investor Conferences

"At the Fall dinner meeting of the Bar Association of Lehigh County our guest speaker was Michael Smerconish. Everyone was delighted with his presentation. It was timely, informative and entertaining. The question and answer session following was lively, fun and the best we have had in recent memory. Before, during and after the event Mr. Smerconish was very accommodating and personable. Everyone was left wanting more."

-Bar Association of Lehigh County
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Michael Smerconish's The Mingle Movie - Get Sharable Link
Talks & Conversations with Michael Smerconish
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The Mingle Project

Sirius XM radio and CNN television host Michael Smerconish is on a mission to restore civility and compromise to our public discourse.  For three decades he’s had a front row seat to the increase in polarization that has gripped the nation.  He sees the current climate as part of a much larger disco ...

Sirius XM radio and CNN television host Michael Smerconish is on a mission to restore civility and compromise to our public discourse.  For three decades he’s had a front row seat to the increase in polarization that has gripped the nation.  He sees the current climate as part of a much larger disconnect in society fueled by technology and self-sorting, having a serious impact on the mental health of our youth.  The Mingle Project  is both his diagnosis and prescription for the problem, presented through anecdote, social science …….and a few laughs!  

 

Things I Wish I Knew Before I Started Talking

SiriusXM radio host, CNN television host, and author MICHAEL SMERCONISH has extensive experience speaking to live audiences and his remarks usually touch upon the political issues of the day. A registered Independent and passionate centrist, Smerconish has the rare ability to address audiences of a ...

SiriusXM radio host, CNN television host, and author MICHAEL SMERCONISH has extensive experience speaking to live audiences and his remarks usually touch upon the political issues of the day. A registered Independent and passionate centrist, Smerconish has the rare ability to address audiences of all political persuasion without alienating anyone in the room.    

His 2021 speeches mirror the subject matter of his recently released full-length film: Things I Wish I Knew Before I Started Talking. Here is the backstory:  

His latest book, Clowns to the Left of Me, Jokers to the Right: American Life in Columns is a compilation of a selection of the newspaper columns he published in the first 15 years following 9/11. The book gave rise to a successful speaking tour dubbed "American Life in Columns," featuring Smerconish sharing stories from the book with live audiences in small theatres all across America.  When the pandemic hit in March of 2020, Smerconish was about to embark on a new tour called "Things I Wish I Knew Before I Started Talking," a one-man show commemorating his 30th anniversary in talk radio.  Reflecting on his three decades in the media, Smerconish shares funny anecdotes from his time behind a microphone and explains the connection between a partisan media and the increasing divide in Washington.  When several sold-out dates had to be cancelled due to Covid 19, Smerconish commandeered a historic playhouse and with the benefit of a television film crew, delivered his presentation “live” in front of 400 empty seats.  CNN aired portions of this performance worldwide as a one-hour special on July 11, 2020. The full-length version was released on December 8, 2020 by Virgil Films on VOM and DVD.

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Biography

Michael Smerconish is the host of a daily radio program heard nationwide on SiriusXM’s POTUS channel 124 from 9a.m. – Noon ET.

He is also the host of CNN’s “Smerconish”, which airs Saturdays at 9 a.m. E.T. He was a longtime newspaper columnist for the Philadelphia Daily News and Sunday Philadelphia Inquirer and his columns were routinely re-printed in newspapers all across the country. He is the author of seven books. He has donated all of the proceeds for four of them to charity.  One was a novel, TALK, for which the television rights were optioned by Warner Brothers.  His latest book is titled: Clowns to the Left of Me, Jokers to the Right: American Life in Columns. His one-man, live performance, “Things I Wish Knew Before I Started Talking” debuted on Hulu and is currently streaming on Amazon, Apple and Google.

He is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Lehigh University and the University of Pennsylvania Law School and resides in the Philadelphia suburbs where he and his wife have raised four children.