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Stuck in the Middle With Michael Smerconish

A personal reflection on Michael Smerconish's unique role in American media, and why his independent voice is more vital than ever.

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By The Kansas Liberal
5 min read
Stuck in the Middle With Michael Smerconish
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“Courage is not simply one of the virtues, but the form of every virtue at the testing point.”
— C.S. Lewis

“Clowns to the left of me… jokers to the right…”
The lyrics aren’t just catchy—they’re prophetic. And if there’s one guy who’s been dancing in that narrow strip of rational ground in between, it’s Michael Smerconish.

Who Is Michael Smerconish?

Michael Smerconish is a broadcaster, columnist, lawyer, and author who has carved out a lane of clarity in a world gone deaf from partisanship. He hosts The Michael Smerconish Program daily on SiriusXM’s POTUS channel and his eponymous show Saturdays on CNN. With a background in law and a sharp eye for nuance, Smerconish brings a data-driven, empathetic, and no-nonsense approach to politics. He’s not left. He’s not right. He’s rigorously independent—and always has been.

I’ve been listening to him for over a decade now, and if you ask me what makes him essential, it’s this: he doesn’t perform. He thinks. Publicly. Fearlessly. And he does it without condescension or allegiance to any tribe.

The Importance of His Voice

Smerconish doesn’t shout. He doesn’t gloat. He doesn’t weaponize language or lean on lazy tribalism. Instead, he thinks out loud. He invites disagreement—not to humiliate, but to understand. And that’s a posture we’re in desperate need of right now.

Every weekday on SiriusXM, Smerconish offers a show that’s less about political bloodsport and more about civic oxygen. He reads the room, reads the data, reads your emails, and always—always—asks questions that cut to the core. His voice, both figuratively and literally, has become a kind of daily recalibration for many of us who feel politically homeless in this age of extremes.

And on Saturdays, his CNN program extends that same spirit of inquiry to a broader television audience. Smerconish brings on a true range of guests—from Senators to scientists, historians to policy analysts—each chosen not to confirm a narrative, but to challenge assumptions. The format is clean. The tone is respectful. And the result is one of the few political shows on television where you’re likely to walk away not angrier, but smarter. again.

The Newsletter, the Polls, and the Cartoons

If you think his radio show is the whole story, you’re missing half the brilliance.

Every morning, his Smerconish.com newsletter drops into inboxes like a multivitamin for your media brain. It’s 20 carefully selected pieces from across the ideological spectrum.

Smerconish’s philosophy is simple but radical in today’s climate: read widely, think critically, and engage humbly. He prescribes a mixed media diet—and the newsletter is how he helps us stick to it. Alongside it, you’ll find a daily poll that often reflects the kind of questions a democracy should be asking. Not just “Which side are you on?” but “What matters, and how should we respond?”

And then, there are the cartoons. Equal-opportunity satire at its finest. They skewer stupidity without cruelty and mock hypocrisy from all directions.

The Mingle Project

Then there’s The Mingle Project Smerconish’s bold experiment in reviving civic engagement, one conversation at a time. It’s a growing network of people committed to leaving the partisan echo chambers behind and actually talking—civilly, locally, meaningfully.

At its heart, Mingle is about one thing: bringing people together across divides. It might mean joining a Mingle Meetup, an in-person gathering where folks from all walks of life and every point on the political compass sit down and work through the news of the day without shouting each other down.

Mingle isn’t just another brand extension—it’s a real attempt at grassroots bridge-building. Through it, Smerconish doesn’t just broadcast ideas—he builds infrastructure for better discourse.

We don’t just need new policies. We need new postures. Mingle is one of the few projects actually trying to cultivate that… not online rage, not cable loyalty—just actual civic muscle memory. That’s the experiment. And for many of us, it’s working.

Smerconish & Halperin

Of all the moments in the Smerconish broadcast week, there’s one that feels especially grounding: his Wednesday conversations with Mark Halperin.

At a time when most political roundups are just talking-point ping-pong or performative outrage, Smerconish and Halperin do something almost unheard of—they talk like grownups. They synthesize the week’s events, not with forced optimism or partisan heat, but with clarity, insight, and a genuine desire to understand what’s actually happening behind the headlines.

Halperin brings sharp political instincts, deep reporting experience, and a kind of clear-eyed candor that pairs perfectly with Smerconish’s Socratic steadiness. Together, they don’t just analyze events… they offer perspective. It’s not “what side won?”—it’s “what does this mean?” “what comes next?” and maybe most critically: “what are we missing?”

It’s the segment I never miss, and the one I most often recommend to people who are overwhelmed, checked out, or just tired of being manipulated by the usual spin machines.

For those of us trying to stay engaged without losing our minds, Smerconish and Halperin are a kind of political GPS—still searching for truth, still charting the middle road, one week at a time.

Why It Matters Now

Look, you don’t need me to tell you that American politics has become a toxic mess. But amid the firestorms and echo chambers, Smerconish has kept a steady hand on the mic. He hasn’t sold out, flamed out, or opted out. He’s stayed right there… in the middle. Stubborn. Curious. Principled.

That middle space has become radioactive in our current climate. To some, it looks like weakness. But to those of us still committed to truth over team, that middle ground feels like the last sane place left. And Smerconish—every day—stakes out that ground and says: you’re not alone here.

So yes, I’m a fan. A long-time listener. And maybe more importantly… a better thinker because of him.

We need more like him…
…but I’m damn glad we have at least one. –Lib

Where to find Smerconish

Michael Smerconish – Podcasts

Michael Smerconish – Long Form

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