Today's Poll Question: Is It Fair To Blame President Trump For The AF1 Decoy Operation, A Security Decision He Says Was Made By The Secret Service?

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Get ready to vote on today's daily poll question at smerconish.com.

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But first, Michael explains it for you right here.

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Welcome to The Smerconish Podcast from SiriusXM.

**SPEAKER_2** (0:11)
For Independent Minds.

**Michael Smerconish** (0:15)
Hello, hello. A lot of news for August. Wow, it's August 12th, and there's a lot going on. And we've got a great poll question today at smerconish.com.
First headline, David Crowley upsets Francesca Hong in Wisconsin. So just like the Michigan race between Hailey Stevens and Abdul El-Sayed, those pre-election day polls, they just, they blew it. They blew it. El-Sayed squeaked out of victory, as you know, in Michigan, but in Wisconsin, where Francesca Hong was the strong favorite. Nope, David Crowley, who had to be talked back into the race, ends up upsetting her in a blow to democratic socialism. Does it mean that democratic socialism is not the future of the democratic party? I don't think so. I don't buy that conclusion. I think you've got to shed some of the nuttier elements, the defund type elements, and keep it focused on a message of protecting the working class and Medicare for all and addressing college tuition, which is out of control, etc., etc. And not the wackier notions like questioning July 4th fireworks or Thanksgiving or the purpose of Halloween. Second big story is that Pakistan is reporting that an Iran deal is close. I point these out because I've got Mark Halpern and Admiral James Stavridis booked on today's program to discuss each and the fallout from Air Force One. I tried to think of a name, Something Gate. I don't have it. I'll ask radio listeners today. It continues. The president says it wasn't his call to switch planes. Yesterday, a lot of voting, 34,963.
Was it appropriate to leave press and staff aboard Air Force One when Trump was removed due to the Iranian threat?
Nothing that I've read in the overnight dissuades me from my opinion that it was inappropriate. And 80.18% said no to that question. Was it appropriate? No, it was not appropriate. I was among the 80%.
Simple logic. If the threat was sufficient to take the POTUS off the plane, then with him gone and no one the wiser, others should not have been cleared to take off. But who is to blame for that? That's what we'll get to with today's poll question. Is it fair to blame President Trump for the Air Force One decoy operation, a security decision he says was made by the Secret Service? When 211 had voted very early this morning, it was 51.18 to 48.82. Will that hold when we're, you know, at 30,000? I don't know. I don't know.

**SPEAKER_1** (3:00)
This is the Smerconish Podcast from SiriusXM.

**Michael Smerconish** (3:04)
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The Daily Poll Question at smerconish.com.

**SPEAKER_1** (4:47)
A non-scientific social political question designed to spark broader discussions about current issues.

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Get ready to cast your ballot and leave a rating and review of this podcast on your favorite podcast app.