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The Stephen Mansfield Podcast

The Stephen Mansfield Podcast

The Stephen Mansfield Podcast 611 Episodes Oct 14, 2026

New York Times bestselling author Stephen Mansfield discusses today's cultural upheavals, trends, and ironies, while providing a fascinating look behind the scenes of his writing and travels. He is known for books like The Faith of George W. Bush, The Search for God and Guinness, and Lincoln's Battle With God.

Episodes

A Leadership Revolution
A Leadership Revolution Oct 14, 2026 00:20:56 It's been somewhat of an embarrassing year living in Nashville, Tennessee. From poor prep for winter storms, to a defunded symphony, to medical disasters altering patients for life, there is no shortage of failures to ruminate on in 2026.But at the core of all these happenings lies one simple principle: failed leadership.Accidents happen, but negligence begs a bigger question: Who is ther
Make Babies Great Again
Make Babies Great Again Sep 30, 2026 00:18:45 Our nation is in trouble.Our birthrate is dropping. Our immigration policy is too restrictive. And as dramatic as it sounds, our population headed toward collapse if things don't change.On top of various societal factors (some of them incredibly vain), there exist huge financial barriers that are scaring young adults away from having children. Stephen's plea: our government must begin to
Reflecting: Dolly
Reflecting: Dolly Sep 16, 2026 00:28:55 Dolly Parton's passing has taken the world by storm. Why are tears being shed by people who never met her? Why are Stephen's friends in the middle east calling to wish him their condolences? As Stephen illustrates in this episode, it was her self-deprecation, her moderation, her generosity, and her love of family that set her apart in becoming one of the most successful artists, businessw
American Cold War
American Cold War Sep 2, 2026 00:24:36 Much like the Cold War of the 20th century, America today is in a battle for its ideals, and the stakes are only growing higher. We are living in a country who has forgotten its own history, leaving young and old Americans alike vulnerable to the influences of Marxism, socialism, and communism. Much like Stephen's experience living along the Berlin Wall in the 1970s, we are looking down a
Dead Pool World
Dead Pool World Aug 19, 2026 00:20:51 For the first time in history, the federal government is stepping in to ration water in areas of the western United States. The reality of "dead pools" — when reservoirs drop too low to flow past a dam — is no longer a distant threat: 45 U.S. states are in drought, and 75% of humanity already lives in water-insecure countries. Today, Stephen examines the three ways water powers civilizati
Diplomacy Matters!
Diplomacy Matters! Aug 5, 2026 00:23:44 Eighteen months into Donald Trump's second term, more than half of all U.S. ambassadorships sit vacant — including 80% of Africa — leaving America without meaningful representation across most of the world as midterm elections approach. This isn't just bureaucratic neglect; it's a pattern of action without follow-through that weakens the very diplomatic infrastructure that keeps trade flo
Our Crisis of Reading
Our Crisis of Reading Jul 22, 2026 00:21:30 People in today's age are consuming more words than ever; the problem is, they're empty words. Doomscrolling and short-form content have crowded out great literature, and fewer than half of all American adults read a single book in 2022. While the downward trajectory of long form reading may not be as big a crisis as we think in our informational age, reading forms our minds in ways that
Fun Learning in the 250th
Fun Learning in the 250th Jul 8, 2026 00:21:24 Most Americans do not have the time nor the interest to open 1,000-page academic tomes on American history. Thus, it's crucial that we find meaningful, enjoyable, and reliable ways to take in our history. For this 250th year of our great nation, Stephen has 3 recommendations of high-quality, inspiring works that any American can access and appreciate:"John Adams" on HBO"America's God and
Principles for Life
Principles for Life Jun 24, 2026 00:15:29 Carl von Clausewitz argued that the object of war is always the predetermined end state — not the battle itself. In the midst of peace negotiations with Iran, America has won militarily while fumbling the endgame: no regime change, no Strait of Hormuz renegotiation, no nuclear agreement, and a $300 billion rebuild check on the table. The same strategic clarity we demand of individuals has
Saving American History
Saving American History Jun 10, 2026 00:20:00 Every nation's history contains both beauty and atrocity — America is no exception. Yet increasingly, the American story is being told through only one lens. Recent data suggests that young Americans are being shaped to view their country with contempt rather than complexity.But the root of our failures isn't oppression along lines of race, gender, religion, or class. It's something more
In Defense of the Kurds
In Defense of the Kurds May 27, 2026 00:18:31 The Kurds have been loyal American allies for decades — so why are we getting them so wrong? In this episode, Stephen draws on his book "The Miracle of the Kurds" to set the record straight about one of the most misunderstood people in the world: a moderate, resilient ethnicity spread across the Middle East with no nation to call their own, yet fiercely devoted to their identity and their
Hear Ben Sasse!
Hear Ben Sasse! May 13, 2026 00:16:05 Ben Sasse — Nebraskan, senator, university president, Harvard and Yale scholar — is dying of stage IV pancreatic cancer, and he is using his remaining time to speak truth to America. Staring death in the face, he's declared that Congress is asleep at the wheel, that our neighborhoods matter more than our political tribes, and that "there are no maverick molecules in the universe." You may

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