The Marc Cox Morning Show

So much news this week and we dive in with the latest in Iran, plus the Supreme Court decision on Louisiana minority districts, King Charles' White House visit and James Comey's second indictment.

The show opens on May Day protests across St. Louis and the country, with criticism of socialist-leaning rallies, union-led walkouts, and a Chicago school district arrangement sending students to protest events. Early discussion also includes local political friction involving Cori Bush and broader debates over activism, labor policy, and cultural influence in public institutions. Hour 2 features Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe discussing Amendment 3 timing, state ballot strategy, budget negotiations, vehicle inspection reform, and a proposed highway speed limit increase, alongside national political reactions to Supreme Court rulings and emerging redistricting debates. Hour 3 expands into national security with Pete Hegseth’s Senate clash, escalating Iran tensions, and analysis from Steve Bucci on potential U.S. military strategy and pressure points, followed by Missouri infrastructure policy and a major focus on declining child literacy rates, including discussion of the “Book It” reading incentive program. Hour 4 centers on White House messaging with Kush Desai outlining economic indicators, jobless claims data, interest rate policy disputes, and a federal retirement savings initiative, while also covering Supreme Court Voting Rights Act fallout and its redistricting implications. The show closes with a lighter in-studio segment featuring Joe Maui and Kenny Gales previewing a Missouri bourbon and spirits festival in Augusta benefiting the Hero Network, blending community fundraising with local business promotion. Hashtags: #MayDay #CoriBush #MikeKehoe #MissouriPolitics #Amendment3 #Redistricting #SupremeCourt #VotingRightsAct #TrumpEconomy #KushDesai #IranCrisis #SteveBucci #PeteHegseth #EducationCrisis #BookItProgram #JoeMaui #KennyGales #HeroNetwork #MorningShow #PoliticalTalkRadio

Hour 4 opens with commentary on May Day protests and criticism of Chicago schools facilitating student participation in union-led demonstrations. The show then pivots to economic coverage highlighting strong jobless claims data and broader claims of continued U.S. economic strength. Kush Desai from the White House joins to discuss economic indicators, Trump administration retirement account reforms aimed at expanding wealth-building access, rising gas prices tied to global tensions, and Federal Reserve interest rate policy debates. The hour also covers reaction to the Supreme Court’s Voting Rights Act decision and its potential impact on redistricting and the upcoming election cycle. It closes with an in-studio segment featuring Joe Maui and Kenny Gales promoting a Missouri bourbon and spirits festival in Augusta benefiting the Hero Network. Hashtags: #MayDay #SupremeCourt #VotingRightsAct #TrumpEconomy #FederalReserve #JoblessClaims #KushDesai #JoeMaui #KennyGales #HeroNetwork #MissouriPolitics #MorningShowWrap

Marc Cox is joined in studio by Joe Maui of Maui’s Liquor and Kenny Gales of The Barrel Room Bourbon Club to preview an upcoming bourbon and spirits festival in Augusta, Missouri, benefiting the Hero Network. The event, set for May 30, will feature more than 40 vendors offering bourbon, wine, THC beverages, food trucks, live music, and family-friendly activities including bounce houses and a golf simulator. The guests highlight the festival’s unique mix of adult and family entertainment, VIP perks like valet parking and early access, and its goal of expanding bourbon culture in Missouri wine country. They also promote ticket deals tied to mentions of the show and outline how listeners can get free admission through local purchases or visits. Hashtags: #JoeMaui #KennyGales #HeroNetwork #AugustaMissouri #BourbonFestival #MauiLiquor #BarrelRoomBourbonClub #MissouriEvents #WineCountry #LocalFundraiser

Marc Cox is joined by White House Deputy Press Secretary Kush Desai to highlight recent economic indicators the administration argues show continued strength, including low jobless claims, steady GDP growth, rising business investment, and wage gains. Desai emphasizes the administration’s view that economic momentum remains strong despite what he describes as temporary disruptions tied to Iran and energy markets. The discussion shifts to President Trump’s new retirement savings initiative aimed at expanding access to federal-style investment accounts for lower-income Americans, which Desai frames as a major wealth-building reform. Cox and Desai also address rising gas prices, interest rate policy under the Federal Reserve, and the administration’s push for a new Fed chair to lower rates and stimulate investment. The segment closes with reaction to the Supreme Court’s Voting Rights Act decision and its potential impact on redistricting and upcoming midterm elections. Hashtags: #KushDesai #WhiteHouse #TrumpEconomy #JoblessClaims #FederalReserve #InterestRates #VotingRightsAct #Redistricting #EconomicPolicy #Midterms

Marc Cox is joined by author and journalist Molly Hemingway to discuss her new book on Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito, focusing on his influence, legal reasoning, and underrecognized role in shaping major conservative victories. Hemingway highlights Alito’s sharp performance in oral arguments, particularly in immigration-related cases, and explains why she believes he is one of the most consequential justices currently on the court. The conversation also dives into allegations surrounding the Dobbs decision leak, including claims of internal delays, tensions among justices, and concerns over the integrity of the Supreme Court’s handling of the fallout. Hemingway further connects Alito’s authorship in key Voting Rights Act rulings to ongoing political battles over redistricting and judicial legitimacy. Hashtags: #MollyHemingway #SupremeCourt #SamuelAlito #SCOTUS #DobbsLeak #VotingRightsAct #Redistricting #ConservativeLegalMovement #JudicialPolitics #LegalAnalysis

Hour 3 opens with May Day protests in St. Louis tied to socialist and labor activism, including criticism of Cory Bush’s rally and broader political messaging around work stoppages and union-driven demonstrations, alongside commentary on cultural and workplace trends reflected in corporate messaging like Starbucks. The hour then shifts to national security, featuring Pete Hegseth’s Senate clash over military priorities and a broader discussion of rising tensions in Iran. Missouri-focused segments highlight proposed legislation to raise highway speed limits to 75 mph and potentially reduce vehicle inspection requirements, alongside alarming road rage incidents and local public safety concerns. The show also features business and consumer updates with Nicole Murray, including market trends and surging gas prices. A national security interview with Steve Bucci explores potential U.S. military options against Iran, targeting IRGC capabilities and strategic pressure points in the Strait of Hormuz, along with Ukraine war dynamics. The hour closes with a deep dive into Missouri’s literacy crisis, where fourth-grade reading proficiency remains critically low, prompting discussion of school accountability and a revival of Pizza Hut’s “Book It” program to encourage childhood reading. Hashtags: #MayDay #StLouis #CoriBush #LaborProtests #IranCrisis #IRGC #NationalSecurity #MissouriPolitics #RoadRage #HighwayBill #VehicleInspections #GasPrices #SteveBucci #KimOnAWhim #ChildLiteracy #BookItProgram #EducationCrisis #PodcastRecap

Congressman Eric Burlison blasts the Senate and GOP leadership over the DHS funding package, arguing it stripped leverage and forced Republicans into a weak negotiating position while leaving border security funding unresolved. He lays into FISA reauthorization, calling continued surveillance authority without stronger warrant protections a threat to Americans’ civil liberties, and criticizes the failure to advance the Save America Act. Burlison also raises alarms about central bank digital currency, warning it could give government sweeping control over personal transactions. The discussion shifts to the Iran war powers timeline, where he questions the interpretation of the 60-day rule and supports economic pressure strategies over direct escalation. He closes by outlining his “Great American Healthcare Plan,” centered on expanded Health Savings Accounts, tax advantages for medical spending, and shifting healthcare purchasing power directly to consumers. Hashtags: #EricBurlison #DHSFunding #FISAReform #SaveAmericaAct #CBDC #IranPolicy #WarPowersAct #BorderSecurity #HealthCareReform #HSAs

Hour 3 continues with Steve Bucci of the Heritage Foundation stepping in for J.J. Carafano to break down escalating tensions with Iran and the likelihood of renewed U.S. military operations. Bucci argues Iran is not negotiating in good faith and says pressure should be directed at the IRGC leadership and maritime operations in the Strait of Hormuz, including targeting small boats used for military or covert activity. He outlines how U.S. special operations forces could be used for precision missions behind enemy lines but cautions that recovering buried nuclear material would require full engineering and stabilization efforts, not just special forces raids. Bucci also discusses broader strategy, suggesting Iran should be addressed first before shifting full attention to Ukraine, and agrees that global conflicts are interconnected but may be better handled sequentially. The segment closes with analysis of how Iran impacts Russia’s war strategy and the broader geopolitical balance involving the United States, China, and allied nations. Hashtags: #SteveBucci #Iran #IRGC #MilitaryStrategy #SpecialOperations #HeritageFoundation #Geopolitics #UkraineWar #StraitOfHormuz #NationalSecurity #MarcCox

Hour 2 opens with a full lineup preview before diving into a wide-ranging political hour anchored by Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe’s interview. Kehoe discusses Route 66’s 100th anniversary, Billy Long’s upcoming ambassador role, and the major decision looming on whether Amendment 3, initiative petition reform, and income tax changes will land on the August or November ballot. He also weighs in on a Missouri House proposal to raise interstate speed limits to 75 mph and reduce vehicle inspection requirements, stressing safety concerns and legislative tradeoffs while acknowledging frustration with current inspection processes. The conversation extends into state budget negotiations, spending reductions, and assurances that sales tax fears tied to income tax reform are overstated. The hour also touches national political tension, including commentary on rhetoric, political violence concerns raised by Erica Kirk, and criticism of media responses to controversial public statements. It closes with reaction to the Supreme Court’s Voting Rights Act ruling and speculation about Missouri’s congressional map and potential redistricting shifts. Hashtags: #MikeKehoe #MissouriPolitics #Route66 #Amendment3 #IncomeTax #MissouriBudget #SpeedLimit #VehicleInspections #Redistricting #VotingRightsAct #MarcCox

Governor Mike Kehoe joins the show to discuss a wide range of major Missouri issues, beginning with Route 66’s 100th anniversary celebration and Billy Long’s pending confirmation as ambassador to Iceland. The conversation then turns to Kehoe’s upcoming decision on whether Amendment 3, initiative petition reform, and income tax proposals should appear on the August or November ballot, with the governor emphasizing multiple legal and logistical factors still under review. Kehoe also addresses a bill that could raise rural interstate speed limits to 75 mph and scale back vehicle safety inspections, expressing caution on both proposals while defending inspections as a public safety issue. He outlines ongoing budget negotiations focused on reducing state spending, rejects claims that eliminating income tax would automatically double sales taxes, and says safeguards would guide any transition. The interview closes with reaction to the recent Supreme Court Voting Rights Act decision and whether Missouri’s current 7-1 congressional map could eventually be revisited. Hashtags: #MikeKehoe #MissouriPolitics #Route66 #Amendment3 #IncomeTax #MissouriBudget #SpeedLimit #VehicleInspections #CongressionalMap #VotingRightsAct #BillyLong #MarcCox

The St. Louis Morning Brief focuses on major transportation and safety issues across Missouri. Marc Cox and Kim discuss a Missouri House bill that could raise speed limits on rural interstates from 70 to 75 miles per hour while also scaling back mandatory vehicle safety inspections, prompting debate over whether inspections protect drivers or mainly create costly repair headaches. The conversation then shifts to alarming local violence, including a Florissant road rage case where a man allegedly punched a woman through her car door and another St. Louis County incident where a grocery store dispute escalated into a truck striking an 85-year-old bicyclist. Marc and Kim argue tensions on the road are spiraling and urge listeners to calm down behind the wheel. The segment closes with congratulations to retiring St. Louis County Police Chief Kenneth Gregory. Hashtags: #StLouisMorningBrief #Missouri #SpeedLimit #Highways #CarInspections #RoadRage #Florissant #StLouisCounty #KennethGregory #TrafficSafety #MarcCox

Hour 1 opens with Marc Cox unloading on May Day protests planned in St. Louis and nationwide, mocking organizers pushing walkouts, anti-ICE activism, and demands for a $25 federal minimum wage while arguing the movement is rooted in socialist politics that would damage small businesses. He targets Cori Bush’s downtown rally, questions local media neutrality in covering the demonstrations, and ridicules additional anti-data-center protests as anti-job activism. The hour then shifts to lighter personal moments as Marc shares an unexpectedly painless root canal experience and congratulates a listener on retirement before joking about life after work. Kim on a Whim drives the second half of the hour with reaction to Shiloh Sanders telling veteran Browns reporter Mary Kay Cabot to “go make a sandwich,” prompting a broader conversation about arrogance in the Sanders family, women in sports journalism, locker-room access controversies, and the line between commentary and reporting. The Shortlist rounds out the hour with James Comey fallout, redistricting battles, renewed Trump impeachment talk, and tariff banter over bourbon versus scotch. Hashtags: #MayDay #CoriBush #MinimumWage #Socialism #StLouis #KimOnAWhim #ShilohSanders #MaryKayCabot #SportsMedia #Trump #MediaBias #Retirement

Kim on a Whim centers on the backlash facing Shiloh Sanders after he told longtime Cleveland Browns reporter Mary Kay Cabot to “go make a sandwich” following her quarterback comments about Shedeur Sanders. Marc and Kim criticize the remark as arrogant and self-inflicted, while noting Cabot’s respected career and praising her measured response defending women in football journalism. The conversation expands into the difference between sports commentary and hard news reporting, with Marc arguing sports media has always blended opinion and reporting more openly. He then shares stories from his early broadcasting days covering the Cincinnati Bengals, recalling past locker-room controversies over female reporters gaining equal access and how media norms have changed over time. Hashtags: #KimOnAWhim #ShilohSanders #ShedeurSanders #MaryKayCabot #ClevelandBrowns #SportsMedia #WomenInSports #NFL #Journalism #DeionSanders

The full show is anchored by a series of high-impact Supreme Court decisions and their political fallout, starting with a major Voting Rights Act ruling that strikes down race-based congressional redistricting in Louisiana and ignites nationwide debate over how districts are drawn and who benefits from them. Hour 1 sets the tone with a forceful defense of the ruling and its implications for Missouri’s 1st District, alongside discussions on political representation, emerging surveillance concerns tied to Ford driver-monitoring technology, and a tribute to country legend David Allan Coe. Hour 2 expands the redistricting battle nationally while adding breaking stories on a St. Louis postal investigation involving dumped mail, NCAA Tournament expansion talks, Cardinals performance analysis, and broader cultural headlines ranging from Greece tourism restrictions to elder-care financial strain and entertainment speculation. Hour 3 shifts into federal policy and enforcement, highlighting a Justice Department rollback of Biden-era ATF gun regulations and a Supreme Court decision reinforcing a colorblind constitutional standard, while also covering Minnesota fraud raids tied to taxpayer-funded programs and political backlash involving Governor Tim Walz. Hour 4 closes with another major Supreme Court clash over immigration protections for Haitians, broader debate over ideological divisions on the Court and calls to expand its size, and further ATF regulatory reversals affecting gun dealers and private sales. Across all four hours, the show threads together themes of constitutional interpretation, federal overreach, political power shifts, and cultural tension points shaping national discourse. Hour-by-Hour Breakdown: Hour 1: SCOTUS redistricting ruling, Missouri political implications, Ford surveillance concerns, David Allan Coe tribute Hour 2: Redistricting fallout, USPS mail dump scandal, NCAA expansion, Cardinals analysis, global/cultural headlines Hour 3: ATF regulatory rollback, SCOTUS Voting Rights Act interpretation, Missouri district impact, Minnesota fraud raids Hour 4: Immigration and race classification debate at SCOTUS, court expansion politics, ATF gun rule reversal Hashtags: #SCOTUS #VotingRightsAct #Redistricting #ATF #GunPolicy #Immigration #MissouriPolitics #USPS #Cardinals #NCAABasketball #KimOnAWhim #FederalGovernment #SupremeCourt #PoliticalNews #MarcCoxMorningShow

Hour 4 centers on major Supreme Court activity, including a sharp exchange over immigration protections for Haitians where Justice Alito pushes back on arguments framing policy decisions through racial categories, highlighting how definitions of race and nationality shift over time and complicate legal reasoning. The discussion broadens into criticism of ideological blocs on the Court and renewed political pressure following recent rulings, including calls from some Democrats to expand the Court after a 6–3 Voting Rights Act decision and a unanimous First Amendment ruling favoring pregnancy resource centers. The hour concludes with a major Justice Department shift rolling back Biden-era ATF firearm regulations, including efforts to expand background-check requirements for private gun sales at shows, with officials arguing the previous rules overreached and burdened lawful gun owners and small dealers. Hashtags: #SupremeCourt #ImmigrationPolicy #VotingRightsAct #FirstAmendment #ATF #GunRights #SecondAmendment #FederalGovernment #WashingtonDC #PoliticalNews

Griff Jenkins walks through the bizarre origin and explosive growth of Colombia’s “cocaine hippos,” originally brought in by Pablo Escobar and now numbering in the hundreds with no natural predators and growing ecological and human danger as they overrun rivers and farmland. He explains Colombia’s failed attempts to control the population, including a controversial culling plan that sparked backlash, and highlights a wild new proposal from the son of an Indian billionaire to relocate dozens of hippos to a wildlife refuge in India at a staggering multi-billion-dollar cost due to logistics and transport challenges. The conversation mixes humor and disbelief over the scale of the problem, the political fallout of earlier handling decisions, and the sheer absurdity of trying to “move” one of the world’s most dangerous invasive species. Hashtags: #GriffJenkins #CocaineHippos #Colombia #InvasiveSpecies #WildlifeCrisis #FoxNews #EnvironmentalDisaster #PabloEscobar #BreakingNews #GlobalPolitics

Shannon Bream analyzes the Supreme Court’s ruling striking down race-based considerations in Louisiana’s congressional redistricting case, explaining that the Court’s majority views Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act as no longer permitting race-driven districting in the same way, while the dissent warns it could weaken minority representation. She outlines how the decision could affect a dozen or more congressional districts across several southern states heading into future election cycles, as legislatures consider whether to redraw maps under new legal constraints. The discussion also covers a separate unanimous Supreme Court decision in favor of pregnancy resource centers in New Jersey, reinforcing First Amendment protections against subpoenas seeking donor information. Bream additionally reflects on heightened security concerns following a recent attempted assassination incident involving the president, noting ongoing questions about Secret Service protocols, crowd management, and coordination across federal agencies during large events. Hashtags: #ShannonBream #SCOTUS #VotingRightsAct #Redistricting #FirstAmendment #FreeSpeech #PregnancyCenters #SupremeCourt #ElectionLaw #SecretService #WashingtonDC

Hour 3 opens with a major Justice Department move rolling back gun regulations tied to incoming ATF leadership, sparking a broader debate over firearms policy, federal enforcement, and political violence rhetoric in Washington. Jim Talent joins to break down a Supreme Court decision striking down race-based considerations in Louisiana redistricting, framing it as a shift toward a “colorblind” constitutional standard while warning that states will still pursue partisan advantage through less explicit means. The discussion then turns to Missouri’s 1st Congressional District and whether similar maps could be forced into redesign after the ruling. In the final segment, Kim on a Whim covers federal raids on Minnesota businesses accused of fraud tied to taxpayer-funded services, alongside political fallout involving Governor Tim Walz and commentary from JD Vance, broadening into concerns about systemic misuse of public funds. Hashtags: #ATF #GunPolicy #SCOTUS #VotingRightsAct #Redistricting #JimTalent #BeavisShock #MinnesotaFraud #TimWalz #JDVance #MissouriPolitics #ElectionLaw

Bevis Shock explains the Supreme Court’s ruling striking down race-based considerations in Louisiana’s congressional map, framing it as a shift toward treating voters as individuals rather than racial blocs under the Constitution. He walks through the history of the Voting Rights Act, reconstruction-era amendments, and how states have used majority-minority districts to ensure representation, arguing the Court is now limiting “disparate impact” reasoning and explicit racial mapping while still allowing political gerrymandering to continue. The discussion turns to Missouri’s 1st Congressional District and other states, with Shock suggesting legislatures will continue drawing districts to maximize partisan advantage but will avoid explicitly acknowledging race, setting up future legal and political battles over how maps are justified rather than how they are drawn. Hashtags: #SCOTUS #VotingRightsAct #Redistricting #Gerrymandering #MissouriPolitics #ElectionLaw #BeavisShock #Constitution #SupremeCourt #CongressionalMaps