Hour 3 [03/26/2026]: Iran Tensions, St. Louis Crime Trends, and Social Media Liability Spotlight

The Marc Cox Morning Show kicks off Thursday with Opening Day excitement in St. Louis, covering Cardinals ticketing, app viewing options, downtown crowds, and social media lawsuits with Kim on a Whim. Hour 2 dives into Doge’s Project 2025 cuts, school board election concerns, and quirky headlines from “In Other News.” Hour 3 features an in-depth look at U.S.-Iran tensions with former Senator Jim Talent, St. Louis crime trends with Patrick Tuohey, and further discussion on social media liability. Hour 4 wraps the show with analysis of TSA and DHS funding chaos, Griff Jenkins on Amtrak security and Baltimore’s collapsed bridge, and Darren Landis presenting the “Swing for a Cause” golf fundraiser supporting the Wounded Warrior Project, highlighting ways listeners can contribute. Hashtags: #MarcCox #OpeningDay #StLouisCardinals #IranCrisis #JimTalent #StLouisCrime #TSA #DHSShutdown #GriffJenkins #AmtrakSecurity #BaltimoreBridge #WoundedWarriorProject #VeteranSupport #SocialMediaLiability #KimOnAWhim #CharityGolf

Marc Cox kicks off Thursday with Opening Day energy, covering the Cardinals’ new viewing options and upcoming ticket giveaways with Shannon Bream. He analyzes the ongoing TSA and DHS funding crisis, including Adam Stahl’s insights on airport chaos and the political stakes for Democrats and Republicans. Griff Jenkins joins to discuss Amtrak security, the two-year progress on Baltimore’s collapsed bridge, and federal funding challenges. The hour closes with Darren Landis detailing the “Swing for a Cause” golf tournament supporting the Wounded Warrior Project and ways listeners can participate or donate. Hashtags: #OpeningDay #TSA #DHSShutdown #GriffJenkins #AmtrakSecurity #BaltimoreBridge #WoundedWarriorProject #VeteranSupport #CharityGolf

Marc Cox talks with Griff Jenkins about ongoing TSA payroll issues, blaming politics, and the challenges facing airport travelers nationwide. Jenkins shares firsthand observations on Amtrak security and compares it to airport protocols, then details the two-year progress, ballooning costs, and extended timeline of Baltimore’s bridge rebuild after the 2024 collapse, including federal funding and potential legal liability for the container ship involved. Hashtags: #TSA #AirportDelays #AmtrakSecurity #BaltimoreBridge #FederalProjects #GriffJenkins

Marc Cox opens Hour 3 examining U.S.-Iran relations with former Senator Jim Talent, discussing Trump’s negotiation strategy, military actions, and regional implications for the Middle East, including the Strait of Hormuz and allied support. The hour then shifts to local focus with Patrick Tuohey from the Show Me Institute analyzing St. Louis crime versus public perception, highlighting improving homicide trends, clearance rates, and the impact of policing and environmental factors on safety. The hour closes with “Kim on a Whim” unpacking a landmark California case holding Meta and YouTube liable for a young woman’s social media addiction, exploring parental responsibility, algorithmic influence, and potential ripple effects for future litigation. Hashtags: #IranCrisis #JimTalent #StLouisCrime #PatrickTuohey #ShowMeInstitute #SocialMediaLiability #KimOnAWhim #Meta #YouTube #PublicSafety #DigitalWellness

Patrick Tuohey from the Show Me Institute discusses a new study analyzing St. Louis crime trends and public perception. He highlights that while homicide and major crime rates have generally declined, media coverage and environmental factors distort residents’ sense of safety. Tuohey explores the role of police visibility, neighborhood upkeep, prosecutorial changes, and the Ferguson effect on policing, emphasizing that improvements in clearance rates and overall public safety are positive signs, even as challenges remain. Hashtags: #PatrickTuohey #StLouisCrime #PublicSafety #CrimePerception #ShowMeInstitute #FergusonEffect #PoliceVisibility #HomicideTrends

Former Senator Jim Talent joins Marc Cox to clarify misconceptions about Donald Trump's Iran negotiations, explaining the use of intermediaries and the goal of altering Iran’s intentions and capabilities. Talent outlines the military campaign’s phases, addresses potential impacts on U.S. oil prices and midterm politics, and evaluates the responses of NATO allies like Britain and India. He also discusses the broader strategy to neutralize Iran’s power while minimizing civilian conflict and supporting protest movements once the campaign concludes. Hashtags: #JimTalent #IranNegotiations #Trump #MiddleEastStrategy #USForeignPolicy #NATO #OilPrices #Midterms

Marc Cox opens the hour unpacking misconceptions about Doge and Project 2025, defending targeted cuts to wasteful foreign spending while condemning critics like Morning Joe. He dives deep into the dangers of left-wing influence in schools, detailing how unions and foreign enemies exploit education to shape young minds, emphasizing the importance of local school board elections. The hour closes with lighter stories in “In Other News,” from United Airlines’ new Relax Row and Coca-Cola discontinuing frozen juice concentrate, to a Finnish man breaking a Guinness World Record using body piercings, blending serious political analysis with quirky, attention-grabbing headlines. Hashtags: #Doge #Project2025 #SchoolBoardElections #NEA #Education #LeftWingAgenda #UnitedAirlines #RelaxRow #MinuteMaid #GuinnessWorldRecords #WeirdNews #StLouisPolitics

Marc Cox kicks off Opening Day in St. Louis with excitement around Cardinals festivities, warm weather, ticket prices, and downtown crowds before pivoting to national politics, criticizing media coverage of Iran tensions and arguing U.S. actions have weakened the regime. The conversation shifts to midterm election concerns, with rising gas prices and economic perception shaping voter sentiment. Kim on a Whim highlights a landmark lawsuit holding Meta and YouTube liable for addictive social media design targeting children, sparking debate over parental responsibility, algorithms, and smartphone use among kids. The hour wraps with listener reactions about youth phone access, parental controls, and a surprising discussion about couples using location-tracking apps. Hashtags: #MarcCox #OpeningDay #StLouisCardinals #Iran #Midterms2026 #GasPrices #KimOnAWhim #SocialMediaLawsuit #Meta #YouTube #Parenting #Smartphones #Life360

Kim on a Whim centers on a landmark California verdict holding Meta and YouTube liable for designing addictive platforms that harmed a young user’s mental health, awarding millions in damages and potentially opening the floodgates for similar lawsuits. Kim and Marc debate whether responsibility falls on tech companies or parents, comparing social media to Big Tobacco while questioning how platforms could realistically reduce addictive behavior. The discussion expands to smartphones for kids, algorithm-driven content, personal accountability, and whether warnings or usage limits would make a difference, with listener texts highlighting the growing concern over youth smartphone use and social media dependency.

Marc Cox kicks off the show with Opening Day excitement for the Cardinals, then dives into major Missouri political developments, including a Supreme Court ruling allowing mid-cycle redistricting and upholding voter ID laws. The discussion turns to immigration-related crime and DHS funding conflicts, with sharp GOP criticism of Senate leadership and debate over the SAVE Act. Kim on a Whim examines college versus trade careers and rising costs, while Nicole Murray delivers market and lifestyle insights, including oil prices, Wall Street moves, and Gen Z shopping trends. The RNC’s Ali Triolo breaks down election integrity efforts and mail-in ballot concerns. Mary Vogt analyzes the Supreme Court’s qualified immunity ruling, and Congresswoman Mary Miller discusses border security and ICE funding during the ongoing DHS shutdown. Economic pressures are highlighted by airline CEOs on rising fares, Taylor Riggs provides legal and energy insights on the Iran deal and California policies, and Jimmy Fela shares the chaos of live media mornings. The show closes with Marc Cox offering practical guidance on Missouri property tax freezes and local EMS funding, giving listeners tools to navigate upcoming ballot measures and local political debates. Hashtags: #MarcCox #MissouriPolitics #Redistricting #SAVEAct #ElectionIntegrity #DHSShutdown #ICEFunding #KimOnAWhim #CollegeVsTrades #NicoleMurray #AliTriolo #MaryVogt #MaryMiller #AirlineFares #TaylorRiggs #JimmyFela #PropertyTaxFreeze #MissouriLocalIssues