Talk show host and columnist Michael Smerconish has been chronicling local, state, and national events for the Philadelphia Daily News and the Philadelphia Inquirer for more than 15 years. He has sounded off on topics as diverse as the hunt for Osama bin Laden and what the color of your Christmas lights says about you. In this collection of 100 of his most memorable columns, Smerconish reflects on American political life with his characteristic feistiness. With a new Afterword for each column, the author provides updates on both facts and feelings, indicating how he has evolved over the years, moving from a conservative political perspective to having more of a centrist view. Clowns to the Left of Me, Jokers to the Right covers the post-9/11 years, Barack Obama's ascension, and the rise of Donald Trump. Smerconish also recounts meeting Ronald Reagan, having dinner with Fidel Castro, and barbequing with the band YES in his backyard, as well as spending the same night with Pete Rose and Ted Nugent, drinking champagne from the Stanley Cup, and conducting Bill Cosby's only pre-trial interview. Additionally, he writes about local Philadelphia culture, from Sid Mark to the Rizzo statue.

Michael A. Smerconish is a SiriusXM radio host, CNN television host and Sunday Philadelphia Inquirer newspaper columnist.

Description courtesy of Temple University Press.

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