Michael A. Smerconish (born March 15, 1962) is a talk show host. He has a radio program on Sirius XM Satellite Radio. He has a television program on Cable News Network (CNN). He is a lawyer in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania for the law firm Kline and Specter.[1] Smerconish is a columnist for the Philadelphia Inquirer.[2] He has often been a guest host for other talk show hosts. This includes Joe Scarborough of MSNBC and Bill O'Reilly of Fox News Network. [2]
Smerconish had worked for the campaigns of Republicans in the past. He had voted Republican. In 2008, he said he would vote for the Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama.[3][4] He made this announcement on MSNBC's Hardball with Chris Matthews.[5] On August 20, 2009, Smerconish became the first talk radio host to broadcast live from the Obama White House. That show which included an interview with the President.[6] The interview was held in the Diplomatic Reception Room. That is where President Franklin D. Roosevelt's fireside chats were held.[7] The President took questions from Smerconish and his listeners on a variety of subjects. One subject was the recent debates on the pending Healthcare Reform Bill.[7] Smerconish has interviewed Obama six other times.[8] In 2010, Smerconish said in the Huffington Post that he had switched his party registration from Republican to independent.[9] When it was said that David Duke had been tied to Republican House leader Steve Scalise in the past, Smerconish interviewed Duke to discuss this.[10]
Smerconish has written several books. Two of them were on The New York Times Best Seller list.[2]
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