Today's Poll Question: Should Athletes Be Judged for Visiting the White House?

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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.

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For Independent Minds.

**Michael Smerconish** (0:14)
Hey, gang, today is Friday, it's the 19th of June, 2026, and here's your smerconish.com poll question. It's an agree or disagree.
An athlete's choice to accept or reject a White House invitation shouldn't be judged. Frankly, I could have expanded to say, you know, anybody's choice to accept a White House invitation shouldn't be judged. And you know why I asked the question. I asked the question because yesterday was the big parade for the Knicks, and we also learned this week that the Knicks, through their owner, have accepted an invitation request from President Trump to visit the White House. NBA teams really have not been doing that, and in the Trump years, other teams have begged off as well. I like it, I like it, and I'm in the category of saying, I'm not going to judge you. I'm not going to judge you if you accept the invitation, I'm not going to accept, I'm not going to judge you if you reject the invitation. I like tradition, I like mingling opportunities, I like things that unify us, and I'm not going to cast aspersions on those who decide they are going to go or are not going to go.

**SPEAKER_2** (1:21)
This is the Smerconish Podcast from SiriusXM.

**Michael Smerconish** (1:25)
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**SPEAKER_2** (3:11)
The Daily Poll Question at smerconish.com.

**SPEAKER_1** (3:14)
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.

**Michael Smerconish** (3:25)
So, yeah, yesterday in the Canyon of Heroes, millions of Knicks fans, 10, what, 10,000, I think, NYC police officers, a record number.
I like days like this, just like what I said about the World Cup a moment ago.
I mean, a championship parade is the ultimate mingle. Sports at its best, strangers from different blocks and backgrounds and neighborhoods, everybody shoulder to shoulder, all stripes of people, cheering the exact same thing. No zip code, no tribe, no algorithm sorting us into separate feeds. Instead, just a sea yesterday of orange and blue. And if you're looking for the antidote to a disconnected society, I think it lies in these moments along a parade route. So of course, you know, that took place. Now you can cue the controversy because there always will be one. In this instance, the Nick owner, James Dolan, same guy who built Sphere, where they're finally making money, and I think that's a great thing. He said, what day was it? I think Wednesday, and I have the audio, that the Knicks have accepted a White House invitation, the first NBA team to do so in this administration, said that he's known Trump for 30 years and he's proud to make the trip.