The Stephen Mansfield Podcast

In this most unusual of all U.S. presidential elections, one constant theme has been the charge of corruption. In the party structures. In foundations started by the candidates. In the candidates' professional lives. Even in the electoral process. Wikileaks and FBI investigations have only heightened these concerns. In this podcast, Stephen calls for reform of our electoral process and urges democ...

A decade-old video capturing Donald Trump speaking about women in the nastiest terms has transformed the 2016 presidential race. It has created a firestorm of controversy and is likely to shape the outcome of the election. Stephen believes this race and the Trump video tell us much about who we have become as a nation and he explains what the resulting Trump explosion is likely to mean for the nat...

Everyone’s doing it. Esquire. GQ. Men’s Health. Each of these and dozens more have offered their "style guide" for the modern man. Well, Stephen couldn’t resist the temptation. While admitting he’s not a clothes horse and that no one should follow his fashions, Stephen nevertheless offers some wisdom for men and how they present themselves. You don’t want to miss this! [custom_font font_family='Op...

In a Monday night slugfest at Hofstra University, Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump tried to win voters and damage each other while moderator Lester Holt struggled to play referee. It was a revelatory evening and in this podcast Stephen analyzes both the candidates and the issues at play in the first of three general election debates. [custom_font font_family='Open Sans' font_size='11' line_height=...

Good news from the Middle East? Yes! And the Kurds are making it happen. In this week’s podcast, Stephen describes the good news—the liberation of Mosul!—and some of the challenges facing the Kurds. Then, he prepares us for what might be some of the biggest news yet—the move toward an independent Kurdistan. All in this exciting update on the Kurds.   [custom_font font_family='Open Sans' font_size=...

In this fast-paced episode, Stephen answers questions from his listeners. From theology to the election, from books to Stephen’s political aspirations, no topic is off-limits in these lightning-round free-for-alls! [custom_font font_family='Open Sans' font_size='11' line_height='26' font_style='none' text_align='left' font_weight='300' color='' background_color='' text_decoration='none' text_shado...

Some men and women come home from war and find themselves missing an important part of their lives: mission. The purpose, belonging and accountability that is a natural part of military life is often absent from civilian life, but that does not have to be the case. In this episode, Stephen recounts a discussion with former soldiers and urges all of us to build lives of passion and purpose. [custom...

After the American Civil Rights movement in the 1960s, our country's problems with racism remained subtle but persistent. But since the advent of the internet and our first African-American president, racial tension has stolen the stage and bigotry has reared its ugly head once more. In this important episode, Stephen reminds us of the righteous, redemptive side of our nation and challenges us to...

Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump are the two least-liked presidential candidates in American memory. So how did we get to this point and what does it mean for America? [custom_font font_family='Open Sans' font_size='11' line_height='26' font_style='none' text_align='left' font_weight='300' color='' background_color='' text_decoration='none' text_shadow='no' padding='0px' margin='0px']CC image cour...

Stephen’s concern for the state of men today led to him write Mansfield’s Book of Manly Men, a book that has inspired men’s gatherings around the world. Now, Stephen has written a companion for that book. It’s called Building Your Band of Brothers. He describes this little book, and its intended impact, in this podcast. After you’ve heard it you can order Building Your Band of Brothers at a discou...

The petty quarrels of the infamous 2016 presidential election continue to invade the airwaves, but what about the bigger picture? Clearly, our culture is at an alarming crossroads. Sometimes, the best way to interpret the difficulties of the present moment is through the numbers. [custom_font font_family='Open Sans' font_size='11' line_height='26' font_style='none' text_align='left' font_weight='3...

When Khizr Khan and his wife appeared at a recent political convention and spoke of their son, U.S. Army Captain Humayun Khan, who was killed in Iraq, it was a reminder to us all. While there are extremist and violent Muslims in the world, thousands of patriotic Muslims serve in America’s armed forces and government. Tens of thousands more live democracy-loving lives in this nation. Drawing from h...

With echoes of 1968 ringing clearly, there is sure to be a lot to see in this election season’s National Conventions. Stephen offers this unique political and media trail map to guide you through the chaos and show you what to watch out for along the way. [custom_font font_family='Open Sans' font_size='11' line_height='26' font_style='none' text_align='left' font_weight='300' color='' background_c...

Our nation is in upheaval over issues of race and police misconduct—and it should be. We need to heal. We need to restore. In this podcast, Stephen speaks in typically blunt, hard-hitting terms about racism and the recent events torturing our nation. He also reports the surprising things he learned from some friends who are black law enforcement officials in DC. [custom_font font_family='Open Sans...

We live in a strange time. Left and right, coast to coast, self-radicalized gunmen are terrorizing quiet neighborhoods. Hackers are compromising bank records and government databases. Natural disasters are increasing at a dramatic rate. In this episode, Stephen offers a quick manual for staying strong amidst the unexpected, and how to pass along these lessons to those near and dear to you. [button...

Did you know that more Americans have died from guns since 1968 than have died in all wars combined? Did you know that in the approximately 72 hours between the Orlando shooting and the recording of this episode, there were 93 additional gun-related deaths in America, including four children? In the wake of America's most deadly mass-shooting, Stephen offers 10 truths for us to remember through th...

Sebastian Junger not only wrote The Perfect Storm which inspired the movie starring George Clooney and Mark Wahlberg, but he has written arguably the best book and produced the best documentary about men in war. He has just released Tribe, which begins as a look at soldiers returning from war and becomes a wise, insightful examination of how modern society works against community, belonging and ev...

Just in time for the start of summer, Stephen lists his favorite podcasts. You’ll learn all about what he listens to that helps him understand politics better, that helps him be a better man, that helps him with his spiritual life, and that even helps him use his Apple technology more skillfully. You’ll learn how to learn more enjoyably in this romp through Stephen’s list of some of the best podca...

Greatness is often associated today with wealth, talent and fame. Yet the great lives of history reveal a different story. True greatness comes from defending a defenseless people, giving voice to those who have no voice, or helping to strengthen the weak. In this sense, greatness comes not from fame, talent nor wealth, but rather from giving oneself to a people or cause without hope of personal g...

Summer’s here, and that means it’s time for Stephen’s summer reading list. From historical fiction to politically-charged social narrative, tune in to get turned on to the best available books for the summer season. Tribe: On Homecoming and Belonging: Sebastian Junger Between the World and Me: Ta-Nehisi Coates Necessary Endings: Henry Cloud The Tribune: Patrick Larkin Ask the Question: Why We Must...

In one of our nation's most notable—and most brutal—primary elections, the verdict seems to be out: Donald Trump on the right vs. Hillary Clinton on the left. So what does that mean for you? In this informative episode, Stephen lays out what is (probably) to come for the remaining months in terms of the faiths, platforms and political strategies of two very disliked candidates. [button size='large...

Stephen is often asked how a person who can’t write or who doesn’t have time to write can get their story on the page. Well, there are firms that specialize in helping people get their story told, their information recounted engagingly, even their family histories captured for generations yet unborn. One of these firms is headed by Beverly Mansfield. In this podcast, Stephen interviews Beverly abo...

In a continuation of his last podcast, Stephen explores the biggest lessons he learned from speaking at a TED event. As he states it, "We are living in a knowledge revolution and the future belongs to those skilled in self-education.” Stephen urges us to understand the revolution we are living through and to use it to both succeed in our professions and to enjoy life more fully. [button size='larg...

Stephen recently spoke at a TED event and learned a great deal about effective speaking. He also learned a great deal about how to improve his own approach to speaking. In this humorous but insightful podcast, he lists the lessons he learned and describes how we can all apply those lessons to our own communicating: 1) You Can Always Get Better; 2) Brevity is Best; 3) Clarity is Everything; 4) Floo...

The numbers don’t lie. Sure, they might change often or dramatically depending on unforeseen circumstances, but for the most part we can use big data and simple statistics to predict the most likely outcome of the presidential primary elections. Stephen does not profess the ability to prophesy by any means, but in this episode he lays out the hard numbers and the brass tax regarding what to expect...