Midday Mobile (Full Show) | Cameron Smith + Erica Thomas + Jonathan McConnell | September 16, 2026

Sean Sullivan covers politics, local news, energy prices and international security on this edition of Midday Mobile.Cameron Smith of The Tennessean joins Sean for a wide-ranging conversation about the direction of the Republican Party, government spending, tariffs, debt and the debate over what conservatism looks like in the current political climate.Erica Thomas of 1819 News checks in with stories closer to home, including the impact of diesel prices on Alabama farmers and truckers, more than $12 million in Baldwin County hurricane-recovery funding, progress on the Dauphin Island Causeway restoration project and the latest on Cedar Point boat-ramp improvements. Plus, she introduces listeners to “Officer Ray,” Spanish Fort Police Department’s stress-detecting support poodle.Later, Jonathan McConnell of Meridian US brings his maritime-security experience to a discussion of the Red Sea, the Houthis, shipping disruptions, war-risk insurance, the Strait of Hormuz and the wider conflict in the Middle East.Sean also takes listener reaction throughout the show and reflects on the life and service of longtime Mobile businessman and World War II veteran Tony Naaman.