Today's Poll Question: Should Graham Platner's Nazi tattoo have been the end of his campaign?

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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)
Hi, gang. Today is Tuesday. It's the 7th of July, 2026 You ready for this? We had 40,011, 40,011 votes cast yesterday.
That's like a Saturday number when I'm on CNN. That is not a Monday number typically. I'm elated for it, but what drew all the votes? Me asking, should President Trump have called FIFA to review the suspension of Flo Balogun? 89.42% said no. 10.58% said yes. And as you know, it is over. Team USA, out of the World Cup, beaten by Belgium last night, 4-1 in Seattle.
As I said in my note today in the newsletter, the score suggests a rout. It wasn't entirely a rout, I mean, midway through the second half, midway through the second half, Team USA was trailing 2-1, still in it. And then came those 10 seconds of calamity. One of the heartbreaks for goalkeeper Matt Freese when he ventured out of his box, chested down a long ball.
And then he hesitated with a stutter step that I'm sure you've seen. Hans Van Aaken curled a shot into the empty net, now it's 3-1.
As I said in the newsletter, give that Episcopal Academy graduate credit for owning it. Post game, stood in his locker and he said, this moment hurts more than probably any other moment in my life. And then, of course, there was a late 4th that sealed it. Flo Balogun, the man at the center of the weekend drama, not too much of a factor. US fans gave him the loudest ovation of any player. Belgian fans, did you see this? They waved red cards. No goals, three shots. Belgium then posted a photo of Romelu Lukaku with two words, overturn this. And then, I gotta say, and I give them credit, I thought it was funny. They did a dance at the end of the game, and not just any dance. It looked like the Trump dance. It looked like the Trump dance. Here's where I come out. I look forward to talking about this at length on radio today. I don't think President Trump should have called the head of FIFA. I still don't like the call, and I don't think FIFA should have caved. So, three wrongs in all of this. But, at the end of the night, last night and in the light of day, today, I mean, I rooted for Team USA. I was uneasy about the prospect of their winning. I wanted them to win. Don't make any misunderstanding. But I was uneasy about a victory that would have been built on Balogun because it always would have carried an asterisk in the Court of World Opinion. And as I've been saying on radio consistently, there's something larger at stake.
It's the flawless job that America has done thus far in hosting. It's the hospitality of the people. It's Buc-E's. It's Costco. It's all that. It's the countless visitors who are leaving with a better impression of the USA than they had when they arrived. So it's an opportunity to transcend Trump. Yeah, I was disappointed last night, enjoyed watching, but somehow I still feel satisfied.
As an American, with what's happening.

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This is the Smerconish Podcast from SiriusXM.

**Michael Smerconish** (3:48)
Speaking of all of this, the United States out, of course, but world soccer excitement continues with two round 16 matches today. Noon, Argentina playing Egypt.
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