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Smerconish

Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA), Is Interviewed About Iran: The Way out, Graham Platner Says His Past Has Been "Weaponized"; When Does A Health Issue Become A Public Issue? America's New Dream Comes With Higher Walls. Aired 9-10a ET

Aired June 06, 2026 - 09:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

[09:00:22]

MICHAEL SMERCONISH, CNN ANCHOR: To end this war, let's declare it. I'm Michael Smerconish in the Philly burbs. The House passed a resolution on Wednesday to curtail President Trump's ability to wage war against Iran. The vote was 215 to 208. Four Republicans broke ranks.

Thomas Massie of Kentucky, Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania, Tom Barrett of Michigan, Warren Davidson of Ohio. This gave Democrats the margin they needed to pass a war powers resolution directing the president to remove U.S. forces from hostilities unless Congress authorizes continued action. It was the fourth time that critics of the war had sought to end it. The first three resolutions gathered some Republican support, but they fell short. This one didn't.

And cheers erupted in the House chamber when the result was announced.

My hunch -- my hunch is that they were also elated in Tehran. That resolution won't end the war. Doubtful it gets through the Senate. And even if it did, President Trump will veto any measure that ever reaches his desk. Republicans call it unconstitutional.

The White House argues that hostilities already ended with the April cease fire anyway. I understand the distrust of the administration. In my opinion, there never was a coherent rationale offered for the imminence of an Iranian threat before February 28th. Representative Fitzpatrick himself put it plainly after the vote, he said, "We're past the 60 days, so you have two choices. You either follow the law or you change the law.

You can't violate the law. That's not an option. It's hard to argue with that. But here's what worries me. Tehran is watching and what they see is exactly what they've been counting on.

An American public growing restless, a Congress fracturing, a president whose poll numbers are sagging as gas prices climb. A Fox News poll found 60 percent of Americans already opposed the war. The conflict has cost taxpayers over 100 billion. Thomas Massie was direct about the kitchen table politics driving Republican defections. He said, people are tired of this.

They're tired of $5 gallon gas, $6 gallon diesel and fertilizer we can't afford to put on our fields in Kentucky. The ceasefire picture is muddled but potentially more grim than the administration lets on. All that we know for sure is that the Strait of Hormuz remains closed. And Iran claims that Israel's continued military operations in Lebanon are a violation of the cease fire framework, arguing that a violation on one front is a violation on all fronts.

Further, Mohsen Rezaee, adviser to Supreme Leader Khamenei, said during a CNN exclusive interview on Friday that Iran won't budge unless the U.S. releases 24 billion in frozen assets and that if the U.S. continues fighting, Iran is willing to spread the war beyond the Persian Gulf and onto American bases.

Iran has always known it cannot defeat the United States militarily, but it doesn't have to. Time is the only true weapon in their arsenal, and this week Congress just handed them more of it. To win, Iran need only not to lose. So why can't the president, instead of insulting anyone who votes against him on this issue, go make his case? Address the Congress and the nation and make the case for a formal declaration of war or formal authorization.

I get it, seems like a long shot. Congress has officially declared war in only five conflicts, the last time being World War II. But there's a solid case to be made with Iran posing an ongoing threat to the United States and its neighbors and still in possession of its enriched uranium. And here's the thing, President Trump doesn't even have to ask for a formal declaration of war. Since World War II, Congress has consistently reached for a different tool.

The authorization for use of Military force in AUMF, Gulf of Tonkin, Afghanistan in 2001, Iraq in 2002. Each time Congress authorized the President to act without formally declaring war. That's the more realistic path here.

And it's exactly what the resolution permits. And here's why it matters. A targeted AUMF specific to Iran would do something the cease fire and bluster strategy has not. It would send a clear message to Tehran that they can't run out the clock.

They'd be that much more likely than to make a real deal. It would also reframe the political dynamic entirely. Trump offering an olive branch, telling Congress it's their call, making this a shared national commitment rather than a one man executive adventure. So we're left with a cease fire fraying at the edges, a Republican led House on record opposing a conflict that has dragged on for more than three months with no clear end in sight and an Iranian negotiating team that is experienced at precisely this kind of patience.

[09:05:14]

They've done it before. During the hostage crisis of 1979, 1981, Iran, you'll remember, held 52 Americans captive for 444 days, timing the release to the exact moment that Ronald Reagan took the oath of office, squeezing maximum leverage from American political transition.

They understand how our system works sometimes better than we do. Every congressional vote signaling American impatience is a gift to the negotiators in Tehran. They simply have to wait us out. The clock's ticking. They know it.

And this week Congress reminded them so.

Joining me now is the senator from Pennsylvania, John Fetterman.

Senator, what do you think of what I just had to say?

SEN. JOHN FETTERMAN (D-PA): Absolutely. I mean this is such an important conversation to have and I don't understand why there are not more people having these kinds of discussions. Now it's a profoundly important issue that is in front of us right now. Iran, a nuclear power, why is not more important. And it has turned into like a silly political exercise like that.

You know, other than cheering for Tehran, I don't know what the point is at this point. Tehran understands and they've been elated, oh my gosh, you know, between the Democratic Party or most of the American media. Ever since that started, it's been teaching them to know just wait it out and try to resist it in any single way. This is the kind of regime that has no problem executing 30,000 of its young people though there -- in their -- you know, just protesting. So when -- here's we are now, why wouldn't we want to decide to break Iran and demand that they submit and make sure they are never going to be a nuclear power?

That's a profound thing and that's here we are and we have all forgot that. And now just turning it into silly kinds of exercises like this, just more bad performance art.

SMERCONISH: Is it realistic that the White House, that the president could come to the Senate and request an AUMF?

FETTERMAN: Well, what I'm saying, it's like why doesn't everyone, everyone just demand or -- yes, or empower the president, say, we must demand Iran can never be a nuclear power. This is not controversial to Democrats. That was used to be at least, you know, all of our views right now. Find anyone, anyone running for president, anyone here in my caucus would say we can't ever allow them to be a nuclear power. Why can't we support -- why can't we support, you know, that now when someone's done something about it.

Of course, politically, it's, it's hard and it's damaging, you know, for the president and absolutely, definitely for me as well, too. I have voted against every one of these War Powers Act, and I continue to do that because this is such an important issue for the world. And I'm also just incredibly disappointed the way there's -- where our allies through this now, too. It's not our war. It's not our war.

Well, you know, does your country use oil? Yes. Well, then that makes it your war. You know, do you care about Middle East peace? Yes.

Well, then that makes it your war now, too. So that's where -- that's where we are. And it's long been that the contempt of Trump absolutely exceeds, you know, the concerns about Iran have, about being a nuclear war. That's why it's only been a partisan issue right now. SMERCONISH: I want to switch gears to another hot issue in the news today. Last night, Graham Platner in Maine under fire, for all the reasons --

FETTERMAN: P-Hustle. P-Hustle.

SMERCONISH: -- you're familiar, and our audience is familiar -- say it again.

FETTERMAN: Yes. P-Hustle. You know, that's the term that he -- you know, that's the name he -- P-Hustle. That's what he uses his name online, P-Hustle.

SMERCONISH: OK. Well, last night, he was defending himself on stage in Maine. I want to show a clip, and then I want to ask Senator Fetterman for a reaction. Roll it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GRAHAM PLATNER, DEM. SENATE CANDIDATE: Now, as every single piece of that past and journey gets dug up, litigated, and weaponized, you have my back. And when politically motivated, serious and false accusations are made against me, Maine, you have my back.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[09:10:03]

SMERCONISH: He says that it's a combination of politically motivated and false. Your thought is what, Senator Fetterman?

FETTERMAN: No, those are all his -- that's the kind of person that he is. I mean, you know, the truth, the truth. I mean, all Democrats, we all know that was Nazi Inc. And everyone knows that he said these terrible things online. Some of the ones early on, he used to be, I'm so sorry I said that.

I'm not that guy, you know. But you know, he's never admitted to any of this thing. You know, before he was going to run for the Senate, he tried to delete all of those terrible things online. And then the only reason he's, you know, apologizing that is because he got caught. He's only talking about the things because he's been caught, that there's been no redemption in this journey.

It's just him having to respond because how he's behaved for the last 10, 15 years, it's front and centering. And he'll try to deny it. You know, he's lied to America. He lied to my colleagues in the Senate just later this week, for now, trying to pretend that none of those things aren't true. But that's exactly where we are.

SMERCONISH: OK, here's my theory. My theory is that with each of these revelations with your Democratic colleagues, it actually enhances his stature in this strange way because they, for lack of a better descriptor, they want a junkyard dog. They want a street fighter who's willing to knee President Trump in the groin if given the choice. And that's -- if given the option. And that's the way -- and that's the way he presents himself.

FETTERMAN: No, no. Being a dirt bag is not authentic. You know, being a dirt bag is being a dirt bag. And he's just been caught doing and saying all of these things. When you're held accountable, you can say they're lies or they've been weaponized for any of that thing.

You know, the things that you've said and the things that you've done and what people have described you consistently that, you know, one of those women in her journal 10 years ago described him as an incredibly abusive man that ruined her life 10 years ago. So now -- so like I said, that's not authentic. That's just a terrible --

SMERCONISH: OK, but wait. But I -- but I -- but Senator, but Senator, I've given you my theory as to why some of your colleagues are looking the other way. What's your theory as to why --

FETTERMAN: No, no.

SMERCONISH: -- acquiescing to this and going along with it?

FETTERMAN: No. If they -- just be honest, saying, well, you know, the only thing I can say about him is like, well, he's a Democrat. I mean, he's not really technically a Democrat. You know, in his own words, he said, I'm a -- I'm a communist, a socialist.

So but if the only thing you can say is, well, he's a Democrat, I will -- I will -- I will suppress my gag reflex and I can vote for him. But that's the choice that the main Democrats will have this upcoming week. And now we are going to find out.

But consistently, he's been lying about all of his behavior and the things that he's done, and they continue to drop, drop, drop. And now it's only June and that election's in November. So you know how the past has been that usually a great predictor of what the future is going to look like.

SMERCONISH: Senator Fetterman, thank you for being here. We appreciate it very much.

And to everybody at home, this is the poll question of the day at Smerconish.com. I'm asking the following, will Graham Platner ultimately be too politically damaged to win, meaning to win the Susan Collins seat? Make sure you're voting at smerconish.com. At the end of the hour, I'll give you some of the reaction.

From the world of X what do we have so far to today's program? I'm on all the usual social platforms. Democrats need to rally behind him and stop with the purity tests. This is about Platner. The Democrats need to rally behind him and stop the purity tests. Maine is who will either support him or not. They get to decide, not us.

Well, P.J., obviously, the, the stakes are such that the control of the Senate could come down to just Maine. I mean, look at Maine, look at North Carolina and two more and control would flip. So I think we all have a vested interest. I'm not going to leave it just to Mainers. In terms of purity test. Is it a purity test to say don't have a Nazi tattoo? Oh, that's a purity test. Treat women well. Oh, that's a purity test.

I don't -- I don't think so. I'm just -- look, I said this to Senator Fetterman, and I don't think he accepted my explanation. I'm just wondering why, why would Ro Khanna be comfortable on that stage last night? Why would Elizabeth Warren be comfortable given the revelations?

It's a print edition of today's Times. I know you've all heard about the story. It's the print edition today.

[09:15:02]

Why are individuals who champion themselves as, you know, believing women and that which is right be so comfortable as to embrace this? And my answer is, for better or worse, such is the hatred of Trump, it doesn't matter what's revealed about this guy, they're going to stick with him thick and thin.

Up ahead, a congressman hasn't cast a vote since March. He's missed more than 100 of them. So how do we balance compassion for a private health crisis with a public official's obligation to show up for work? We're going to get to that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SMERCONISH: This week, Senator Susan Collins of Maine set a remarkable record. She cast her 10,000th consecutive vote without missing a single roll call since taking office in 1997. Which raises an interesting question. What do we expect from the people we elect to represent us?

[09:20:02]

New Jersey Congressman Thomas Kean Jr. has not cast a vote in the House since March 5th. He's missed more than 100 votes, has not appeared publicly for months. Despite this, the 57-year-old lawmaker was still able to secure his party's nomination for reelection on Tuesday after receiving a recent endorsement from President Trump. Kean Jr.'s staff say that he's dealing with a personal health matter. House Speaker Mike Johnson says that he's spoken with Kean, knows the nature of his condition and says he's in good spirits and expected to recover. But Johnson also said that Kean asked that the details of his condition remain private.

To be clear, there's no evidence of misconduct, there's no scandal, there's no suggestion of wrongdoing, just a member of Congress dealing with a serious health issue and asking for privacy. Whatever the nature of his condition may be, it raises a broader question about how we think about health and public service. For example, as a society, we've made real progress toward reducing the stigma around mental illness. But the work isn't finished, brain health deserves the same respect we give to, say, a broken leg or a cardiac event, full stop. Compassion and accountability, they're not opposites. If a broken leg or a heart condition had sidelined a member of Congress for three months, we'd be sympathetic, patient even. But at some point, constituents would reasonably ask, when is he or she coming back? And if they can't, then what? And that same standard should apply regardless of what ails him.

I want to note that we reached out to Congressman Kean for an interview. We did not get a response.

Meanwhile, Democrats have now chosen their nominee to challenge Kean in November, former Navy helicopter pilot Rebecca Bennett. They'll be campaigning in one of the most competitive House districts in the country.

Joining Me now is Dr. Robert Klitzman, Columbia University professor of psychiatry and a bioethicist.

So, Doctor, thank you for being here. The office says personal medical issue. I'm struggling with this one. How do we balance his privacy with our right to know?

DR. ROBERT KLITZMAN, COLUMBIAN UNIVERSITY PROFESSOR OF PSYCHIATRY AND BIOETHICIST: Well, it's a great question and it's great that you're giving attention to this story, which I think is very important. Individuals have a right to privacy of their medical information. We all have that. But if you're Congressman and your help to run the country, you have immense responsibilities to fulfill the duties of your office. And to be absent for three months and not give a reason or not give a clear reason is really unacceptable.

And also voters, your constituents have a right to be represented in Congress. So if you're not voting, they're not being represented. And that violates the notion of how a democracy is supposed to work. So I think it's very problematic, and as you say, especially in an election year where voters are now being asked, should we keep this person in office for the next two years? Well, if we don't know what's wrong, it's hard to know, will they be OK?

How OK? What's the problem? We just don't have enough information to make those kinds of decisions well.

SMERCONISH: It's rather amazing that we know so little, given that everybody's got a camera in their pocket if they've got a smartphone. You know, I'm looking for him to give me a reason to pray for him. And with nothing being in the record, of course, the speculation runs wild. But we're a very tolerant society. I think whatever it might be, there's going to be a groundswell of people wanting, you know, to cheer on his success.

I mean, I just had Senator Fetterman on the program. When Senator Fetterman went through a difficult period and embraced it openly, and it kind of turned me on the guy. I welcomed that. And I thought, you know, John Fetterman, you're doing a hell of a lot to reduce stigma, and this could be that kind of a case. KLITZMAN: Yes, absolutely. And we just don't know, is this a mental health issue? Is the guy depressed? Is this cancer that he has? Is it heart disease?

And again, as you say, this could be opportunity to say, look, yes, I had a heart attack, but I'm doing well, and et cetera, et cetera. I mean, it's unclear why he's not been able to even vote or do anything or really have any public presence, because with a lot of illnesses, one could be sick, one could even be in the hospital for a period of time, but presumably, cognitively, you're still able to participate. And, you know, the democratic process. I should add, this is going to be a growing problem and has been a growing problem because we as a society are getting older and our elected officials are often getting older. So, you know, Strom Thurmond was 100 and still in the Senate.

There was a case of Kay Granger, who was a representative from Texas, who was absent for five months. No one knew what was going on. And then finally, in December of 2024, journalists found out that she was in an assisted living facility with dementia issues.

So, again, just not knowing makes speculation, as you say, run wild. And voters have a right to know. And transparency --

[09:25:00]

SMERCONISH: I should --

KLITZMAN: -- is crucial in democracy, especially when trust in our democracy is decreasing.

SMERCONISH: I should point out, Dr. Klitzman, this is from an NBC report, that he's nevertheless or through his staff, has nevertheless been active. He launched a hometown Heroes program honoring first responders, said that he's joining the Congressional Crypto Caucus, announced that he's cosponsored a bill to combat discrimination against Sikh Americans, continues to coauthor legislation, even submitted remarks to the Congressional Record that if you didn't know otherwise, you'd think that he'd actually stood in the well of the House of Representatives and had delivered this. But what he's not able to do, obviously, is to vote nor meet with constituents and advocate on their behalf. A final thought from you.

KLITZMAN: Well, just -- you know, staff can do a lot of those things even without the congressperson sort of being aware. I worked on Capitol Hill at one point and I know staff sort of run a lot of day- to-day operations, can make, you know, present bills or write bills that are presented in the congressman's name. So I think we really need to know and again, increasingly trust is important, as you say. I think educating the public about disease, about the fact that we have political leaders like all of us who will have illness and understanding that that doesn't mean the person should be stigmatized, but we need to know the details to know and especially in election year, if the person should continue to represent us and help run the country.

SMERCONISH: Dr. Klitzman, thank you for your expertise. I appreciate it.

And to all of you at home, social media, here's some of the reactions so far. By the way, let me just make crystal clear, put the camera back on me so I'm really clear about this. Thomas Kean Jr., Godspeed. Whatever it is, Godspeed to you. Good family.

New Jersey Republicans, perfect together. I mean, I know the whole record of the family and I just -- am wishing good things for you, whatever it might be.

OK, social media reaction, what is it? Smer, you're spot on. The lack of communication from Kean is indefensible no matter what that caused. Total disrespect for his constituents.

I mean, I -- Kevin, my mind runs wild, as I'm sure many people. It's, you know, the speculation, well, what could it be? Because I say if it's X, you know, in 2026, we can deal with that. There are any number of instances because I don't even want to say the things that I'm thinking. It's hard for me to identify something that people would not have a reasonable degree of acceptance.

Maybe I'm being too optimistic. But that's -- but that's how I look at it. I think -- how about this? To use the old movie line, I think we can handle the truth. Give us a reason to pray for you.

In recent weeks, Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner has faced scrutiny over barrage of scandals, the cover up of a Nazi link tattoo, the toxic relationship allegations. This is our poll question today. I want to know what you think about his political future. So go to smarconish.com.

I've worded this deliberately. I -- my use of the word ultimately is deliberate in this instance because I don't think we know yet what Republicans are holding, right? I mean, that won't come until after Tuesday's election and a couple of days when it reaches a point where he can't be replaced on the ballot. That's my mindset in asking. Will Graham Platner ultimately be too politically damaged to win?

Yes or no?

Still to come more of your social media reaction and then whatever happened to the white picket fence? A Washington Post report finds that Americans are increasingly choosing tall privacy walls instead. Is it about security or are we literally building barriers between ourselves and our neighbors?

When you're voting at smerconish.com, please sign up for my newsletter. It's free. It's worthy.

I got to say, like, I love this cartoon from Eric Allie because it is just so contrarian to so much of what I heard this week. Check it out.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[09:33:24] SMERCONISH: Graham Platner, the marine veteran and oyster farmer, who's the Democratic frontrunner in Maines' U.S. Senate race, told a crowd last night that he'll be able to overcome a series of recent controversies that rocked his campaign. Agreeing with and defending him, progressive California Representative Ro Khanna, told hundreds of rally goers that, quote, "we need to be honest. Most of us have not lived perfect lives." Here's a clip of Platner this week explaining himself.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GRAHAM PLATNER (D) MAINE SENATE CANDIDATE: There are some allegations in this piece that I just want to be kind of unequivocal about are simply not true. Anything alleging physicality, anything alleging that I knew what my tattoo was, these are the statements of someone who is politically motivated.

The fact that I was, you know, a bad boyfriend a decade ago, that's something I've talked about openly at length for quite some time in multiple places. So, there is an element where, yes -- no, I mean, there -- now I have no doubt, like I mentioned earlier, that this is a dirty campaign.

I do expect the Republican Party to fight as dirty as possible. And I expect them to try to create things. I expect them to try to drag stuff up consistently, but there won't be anything new.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SMERCONISH: So will enough Maine voters agree with that at the ballot box, both in the primary on Tuesday and in the general? I want you to weigh in on my poll question at Smerconish.com. Today's question, will Graham Platner ultimately be too politically damaged to win? And when I say win, I'm talking about win the seat in November. Here's some social media reaction.

[09:35:00]

You can follow me on X. You can find me on YouTube, in all the usual places.

My God, Counselor Michael. Maybe Mainers realize something you can't. In the face of a party that has propped up a serial abuser and corruption, Platner --

I mean, Finishschool, kind of a funny handle, you're confirming exactly what I said to Fetterman. People don't care because the opponent is Donald Trump. As a matter of fact, the more the, I'll say rough edges of Platner emerge, the more they love him. Like, yes, he's the guy who can take it to the man.

But how much are you willing to overlook? Like in getting there how much -- and you're presupposing there's no alternative. I mean, Governor Mills, older, I get it, I get it. But you know why he's winning? It's not her age. And I get it. She suspended her campaign. She's too demure for these times. You want -- Peter Wehner, I don't -- I don't know if he deserves the credit, but he was the first that wrote it, I think, in "The Atlantic." And so I always think of him when I say this line. The reason that evangelicals are accepting of Donald Trump, it's not because he's the Two Corinthians president, OK? It's because they wanted someone willing to bring a gun to a knife fight.

And similarly, now Democrats look at Platner the same way. I mean, he's like -- he's like central casting combat. And that voice that -- that voice belongs in Hollywood, not in Washington.

So, you know, it's the old -- it's the bad boy, right? You know, the old, you know, who are you looking for, women? You want the guy -- we're going to do a picket fence segment here in a few minutes. You want the picket fence or do you want the bad boy? For a while, they want the bad boy. Democrats, they want the bad boy.

That's my explanation. And don't tell me it doesn't makes sense because it does. More social media reactions. Give me another one. Come on.

Michael keeps both sides-ing his arguments because he really wants -- he seems to want this war.

No, I don't, Darkshadow. Here's where I'm coming from. The White House never made the case that we needed to go do what we did on February 28th. So, put me down as someone who did not believe in the need to bomb Iran.

And I was clear on that. SiriusXM radio, where I get, you know, 15 hours a week instead of here on CNN for an hour, my record's complete. But once we're there, once we're there, and having opened this can of worms, I want the dust. I want the -- I want the enriched uranium. I want the president to get a win.

Is that both sides-ing? I don't think so. That's just nuanced and independently minded.

OK. Still to come, once the quintessential symbol -- I love this story, once the quintessential symbol of middle class American suburbia, the white picket fence is disappearing as homeowners increasingly opt for taller, more private barriers over neighborly front yard charm. What's going on? We'll investigate in just a moment.

When you vote on the Platner poll question, sign up for my newsletter. It's free. It's worthy. You'll get the work of illustrators such as the award-winning Jack Ohman.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[09:42:32]

SMERCONISH: For generations, this was the symbol of the American dream. The house, the yard, the white picket fence. Not a wall, not a barrier, a fence that let you see your neighbors and let them see you. But according to a fascinating new report in "The Washington Post," the white picket fence, disappearing. And in its place, taller fences, fewer gaps, more privacy. At first glance, this might sound like a story about landscaping, but it's not. It's a story about how we live.

"The Post" followed a Connecticut fence builder who says that for the first time ever, nobody hired him this spring to install a white picket fence. Instead, more of his customers, they wanted six foot vinyl privacy fences, the kind that completely blocked the view of the yard next door.

Joining me now, "Washington Post" national correspondent Danielle Paquette, who wrote this fascinating story. So, Danielle, you kind of tagged along, got on the truck and went out and let this guy see his customers. What did you learn?

DANIELLE PAQUETTE, NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT, THE WASHINGTON POST: Yes, we were riding around to people's houses in Mike's pickup truck. And in Connecticut, where I visited the fencing business is booming. He's on track to have a huge spring. So, it was shocking and disturbing to him, a guy who really loves to work with wood, likes to work with his hands that nobody seemed interested in one of his favorite designs, which is a white picket fence.

So, we went together from customer to customer. And one woman I spoke to, she wanted a shiny six foot vinyl fence, just like her neighbors. She was more concerned about keeping her children safe, keeping them in their backyard, not rushing out to the neighbor's yard, not rushing out into the street.

Another man I talked to just wanted more privacy. His property is right next to an elementary school. He didn't like making eye contact with those children who he found adorable every time he stepped outside.

But the bigger picture here, what Mike is hearing again and again is that people are getting what he called walled-off. There's less appetite for impromptu conversations with your neighbors, less appetite to even have a chat at all. And maybe we don't know how to chat as well as we used to, but it's something.

When this story published, tons of emotion came out in my emails, on Twitter, I mean, X. People wanted to talk about what this could possibly mean for America.

SMERCONISH: That's what interests me the most. So, it's not just a Connecticut thing. I think the reason that your piece resonated with me is that driving in the Philly burbs, which is where I've spent my entire life, I've noticed the growth of these type of fences.

[09:45:10]

And Danielle, after talking to you on SiriusXM and then going to the calls, you should know from all across the country, people are like, yes, my backyard too. And I don't see it as a landscape issue. It's an issue, I fear, of isolation and a lack of mingling with our neighbors. PAQUETTE: Right. A lot of the commenters on my story were like, why is this front page news? Who cares? But I saw other people jump in like, you know what? This is about our quality of life. This is about who we are and how we're changing. And for that, I think, it's quite worthy of further exploration.

SMERCONISH: So do the people, the customers -- the customers with whom you spoke, do they acknowledge this, that they -- that they want less to do with their neighbors? Maybe that they don't know their neighbors?

PAQUETTE: You know, the woman who bought that privacy fence right in front of me, she acknowledged that a picket fence, a shorter fence, a more open fence is homey Americana, she said. But boundaries and privacy to her were just a lot more important. And she said, good fences make good neighbors. That's another thing I've been hearing a lot of lately.

SMERCONISH: Yes, I get it. But it also cuts off the landscape. I mean, I'd be claustrophobic if I were in a backyard that was completely walled-off like that. And you can't see. You know, you can't see beyond -- yes, look at that fence. We're showing it right now.

If you're seated in the backyard in one of those locations, you're not seeing a damn thing except the white fence. And, by the way, I get it like the guy who told you he wants to smoke weed, I understand him sort of, sort of. But it just seems antisocial. You get the final word.

PAQUETTE: He did say he wanted his cannabis corner, Michael. But I will end on meeting a gentleman who has had a picket fence, maintained a picket fence for years, and wanted to rebuild his, which was falling apart and sagging. A thing that happens when you have a cedar fence. It needs to be resealed and repainted every few years, or you're going to see that deterioration.

He said, driving home, he could see his home, his property come into view through those gaps, the pool, the barn, the holly bushes. And it made him feel proud of the life he built.

And so for that, I think, this man and others who love these fences like Mike, the fence salesman, they think the inconvenience, the messiness of something made out of wood, something made by hand is worth it.

SMERCONISH: Danielle Paquette -- by the way, now that we put this on the radar screen of everybody across the country, they'll be driving this weekend, they'll be like, oh my God, there are the fences that they were talking about on CNN tonight. Thank you, Danielle.

PAQUETTE: All I can see is fences now.

SMERCONISH: I appreciate it very much.

PAQUETTE: Thank you, Michael. SMERCONISH: Right. That's -- oh, yes. Once it's in your head, it's true. It's the only thing that you're going to see in your travels. To everybody at home, you've got time to vote on today's poll question at Smerconish.com.

I've not peeked. I have no idea how this one's going to turn out. Remember, I'm asking you to be predictive. This is not for whom you have a rooting interest. I'm asking you to play the role of political scientist.

Will Graham Platner ultimately be too politically damaged to win? I'm asking you to prognosticate. Think about what might be revealed in the future, if anything.

And subscribe to the newsletter while you're there casting your ballot. I think you'll love it. I say subscribe. It's free. Sign up for it. You'll get the work of editorial cartoonists like Rob Rogers and Steve Breen.

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[09:52:47]

SMERCONISH: OK, let's see it, 29,381 have voted thus far. Will Graham Platner ultimately be too politically damaged to win? The yeses, 54 percent. The yes votes have it. And I understand, I didn't monitor it, but I understand that that sort of flip flop during the course of the morning. But flip flop significantly now that 54 percent say, yes.

You can find me on all your usual social media platforms. I hope that you will. And perhaps I'll read something from you during the course of the program.

It blows my mind to think that you and the rest of the woke media -- OK, should I stop right there -- have made this their biggest issue instead of the destruction of our democracy. Time to wake up.

I take it that's a reaction to me discussing Platner. So again, the logic here is the destruction of our democracy, meaning that's your perception of Trump. And therefore, how can we let the little stuff about Platner turn us aside from his candidacy -- turn aside from his candidacy?

But here's my answer to you isn't your objective -- isn't your objective, if that's the way that you feel about President Trump, to take control of the U.S. Senate? And four seats are needed, how will you feel if your party gets three of them and loses Maine?

Won't you look back to this day in early June and say, hey, that guy was right to raise questions about whether this was in the long-term interest of the Democratic Party? Why did we -- why did we look the other way when the tattoo was present, when the women came forward et cetera, et cetera, et cetera? And who the hell knows what else is drop in the -- in the next couple of months?

More social media reaction. What else do we have? You're sounding more and more like you're on Trump's payroll now, says Connor Baldridge.

Connor, would that be because I believe it was a mistake to launch a war with Iran? Did you hear that part? And that now that we're in it, we need to win it.

And what is my definition of winning? It is taking control of their enriched uranium through, essentially, whatever means are necessary. Because I do believe that that regime is dangerous, hates Americans, hates Jews, would kill us all if they had the opportunity.

[09:55:02]

Not the way I wanted it to begin, there's the criticism, but I'd like it to resolve with some success on the part of the United States. And here's more social media reaction to today's program. You do know I don't see them in advance, right?

Yes, if he had any other job and didn't show up at work for three months he would be fired. There's no difference with this one, says Jeff Karlin.

This, obviously, a reference to New Jersey Representative Tom Kean Jr. This is really tough. This is really delicate because we don't know what we're dealing with.

And, you know, I don't want to say something and then next week or a month from now, say, wow, I really got that wrong. The guy's dealing with something. I wish him Godspeed and good health. I don't think he's been sufficiently forthcoming.

And if it's something beyond a physical ailment, it's OK. I'm still going to root for you to get back on your feet. But at a certain point, at a certain point, whatever the job might be, if you can't perform it then, you know, people need to move on.

If you missed any of today's program, you can always listen anywhere you get your podcasts. And an important programing note, next Saturday, we have something really special planned for this program. So, I hope you'll be here next week.

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