The Stephen Mansfield Podcast

On September 25, the Kurds of Iraqi Kurdistan will have a referendum on whether Iraqi Kurdistan needs to break from the rest of Iraq. Stephen believes it will pass with 80 to 90% support. Yet the United States is doing everything it can to fight this independence movement. Why is the U.S. opposing a people group 35 million strong? A group that’s a century overdue for independence, loyal allies to the United States, pro-democratic, pro-Israel, and pro-Western? In this fiery podcast, Stephen addresses the failures of the current and former U.S. administrations with regards to the Kurds, and shares his policy recommendations. Photo by: Spc. Tristan Bolden | VIRIN: 151029-A-PU716-001.JPG

There is a long tradition of religion influencing politics in American history. It is largely to be welcomed. Yet in the recent presidential election, some religious leaders were so full-throated in endorsing Donald Trump that they nearly became part of his PR staff. There is a better, more noble, even holier way to go. In this podcast, Stephen describes the virtues of maintaining prophetic distance as an antidote to the excesses of the recent U.S. presidential election.

When Republicans took the House, the Senate and the White House in the recent presidential election, they should have been ready to lead on the first day in office. Instead, infighting and lack of preparation led to embarrassing defeats. Hoping for a better day, Stephen recommends the British Shadow Cabinet approach for parties out of power and for those intending to run for office. This podcast is a must for aspiring politicians, in particular.

The news in our day might lead us to conclude we are living in the worst of all possible times and, for some of us, in the worst of all possible countries—the United States. It isn’t true. As Stephen explains, the current rise of white supremacist thinking is the death rattle of a lie believed mainly by young white misfits. Don’t freakout! Remember who we are, where we are heading, and who you are meant to be. Stephen brings it all together in this searing, encouraging podcast.

During the recent race riots in Charlottesville and Boston, white supremacists repeatedly described themselves as “Christian” and “Conservative.” As Stephen contends in this podcast, nothing could be further from white supremacist philosophy than true Christianity and true Conservatism. Since Stephen considers himself both a Christian and a Conservative, he pushes back against racists kidnapping these two terms for themselves and shows how these world views are actually the opposite of what the KKK and similar demonstrators have claimed.

This week, in light of the racial violence and conflict seen in Charlottesville and throughout the U.S., we are reposting Part One of a two-part podcast, The Tragedy of Silent Churches. Part Two of this podcast is available here. The Christian Church was put on earth to both proclaim a message and to model life in another world, both to call for the transformation of the human heart and to call society to align with the righteousness and love of God. Rarely do churches today skillfully straddle these twin rails of faith. In fact, many churches today are chillingly silent on social issues and this is becoming a stain on the cause of Christ in our generation. It was Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. who said, “In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.” In this stirring podcast, Stephen Mansfield wonders aloud whether the oppressed and downtrodden of our generation will not be able to say the same of too many modern churches, particularly theologically conservative modern churches. Will the silence of these churches on pressing social issues be remembered for generations, far beyond the noise of the violence, hatred and racism rending our age? [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 courtesy of Dávid Kótai on Flickr[/custom_font]

Though Stephen has offered close commentary about the recent presidential election and the early presidency of Donald Trump, many of his listeners have asked for a more personal view. How did he vote? What does he think of Trump’s first months? How does he relate to the current climate of Washington, DC, where he lives and works for change? In this hard-hitting, very personal declaration, Stephen explains how he sees it and how he works for change. Don’t miss this one!

She will not always be with us, and when she goes it will be a loss. She has reigned as Queen of England for sixty years and has done so with character, with an unshakeable sense of duty, and with an uncompromising Christian witness. In this podcast, Stephen extols the virtues of Elizabeth II and commends those virtues to the misbehaving American politicians of the Trump era.

When Donald Trump was elected president, the American business community rejoiced. He was one of the most pro-business, pro-growth, pro-jobs candidates in recent memory. Now, six months later, the economy has undergone a correction and a bigger economic correction or pullback looms. Stephen explains what this might mean for you and how to prepare.

In the speeches of Bernie Sanders, in the Occupy Wall Street movement, and in popular chitchat, we hear often that the top one percent of earners in our society are destroying us. Is this true? Is one percent of the country the cause of all our woes? And what do you have to earn to be in the top one percent, anyway? Stephen answers all these questions and points us to a more sane view than you may have likely heard before.

This week, Stephen returns to a topic originally shared over two years ago: habits and the brain. Men, this one is especially important for you to hear. We all have habits we wish we could break. Some of our habits may even have led us into addiction. We know what we ought to do, yet find doing it nearly impossible. Drawing some helpful truths from the field of brain science, Stephen offers a new way to look at our habits. The insight he gives us can help us break bad habits and establish new and healthier ones. The wisdom in this podcast could change your life. Don't miss it!

American politics has descended to a childish level in recent years. Rage rules, anger dominates, restraint, character, and statecraft are rarely in view. Better days may be ahead, but only if we mature as a people. In this Fourth of July meditation, Stephen describes our current crisis and points the way to a political culture worthy of the best of our nation.

On September 25th, a Referendum on Independence will be voted on by the Kurds of Iraqi Kurdistan. If the referendum passes, as it is sure to do, the largest people group in the world without a homeland of their own will finally be on a path to that homeland. It will not be an easy journey. In this podcast, Stephen describes the challenges to a Kurdish homeland both from within Iraqi Kurdistan and from without. This is a guide to one of the most momentous events to happen in our lifetimes.

On June 14, in Alexandria, Virginia, a man named James Hodgkinson fired fifty rounds into a Republican practice for the Congressional Baseball Game the next day. Some congressmen, a few staffers, and two Capitol Police were shot. Hodgkinson was killed. Amazingly, the shooter’s family and friends told reporters that they were shocked that he would commit such a crime. Stephen believes they just weren’t paying attention—and he has seen this kind of situational ignorance before. You don’t want to miss his searing commentary on this heinous crime. [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']Image courtesy of Victoria Macchi on Wikimedia[/custom_font]

The Stephen Mansfield Podcast has for years looked at the world through the lenses of leadership, faith, ethnicity, literature, and manhood. This will certainly continue. However, Stephen is so burdened by the state of manhood in our time that he has decided to start a new website called GreatMan.US, and he is also going to launch a second podcast called The GreatMan Podcast. He describes these new directions in this latest Stephen Mansfield podcast. [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 courtesy of José Carlos Cortizo on Flickr[/custom_font]

Our previous three presidents model three different approaches to fathers and the legacies they leave. In this podcast, Stephen offers a unique Father’s Day Meditation, based on his study of George W. Bush, Barack Obama, and Donald Trump, as well as Stephen's own work in challenging men to draw the best from their fathers’ lives. You’ll want to hear this podcast and pass it on to every man you know. CC image courtesy of Thomas Hawk on Flickr

Leaders often fail because they can’t see themselves clearly, they can’t detect deformities and weakness, and they don’t allow those around them to speak meaningfully into their lives. This is what Stephen Mansfield believes, sees in his work with leaders, and describes fully in this podcast. You won’t want to miss this combination of leadership advice and political analysis. [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 courtesy of Garry Knight on Flickr[/custom_font]

Stephen hopes the best for the Trump administration but has been critical of Trump’s excesses. He has decried Trump’s racism, doubted his Christian commitment, and recognized his inexperience. Yet Stephen believes that Trump’s recent speech in Saudi Arabia was one of the finest speeches on the Middle East and solutions to terrorism that has come from an American president. In this podcast, he parses that speech and says that it might well lead to a turning point in world affairs.

We are used to breaking news and exciting headlines. These give us the impression that big events happen suddenly, dramatically. Often, though, the trends that shape our times emerge slowly and are only in the background of the news cycles. Stephen explains how this works and uses some recent news about Turkey and the Kurds to show how history is really made. [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 courtesy of valeriy osipov on Flickr[/custom_font]

In his last podcast, Stephen described the virtues of a reading life. He explored some benefits of reading not often considered, like that it is an antidote to the frantic pace of our times and that disciplined reading serves as an indicator of the state of the soul. In this podcast, Stephen lists some books he believes will make wonderful summer reading, while also explaining the good each of these books can bring to our lives. [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 courtesy of Sam Greenhalgh on Flickr[/custom_font]

A meaningful reading life quiets the soul, tames the heart, inflames the imagination, and helps to make us authentic. In fact, the pages of history show us that most of the great leaders of the past were ravenous readers. Perhaps we really must “read to lead.” Stephen discusses all of these themes in this podcast and urges us to live exceptional lives, fueled in part by the power of the written word. [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 courtesy of Sam Greenhalgh on Flickr[/custom_font]

The intellectual output of American college and university campuses has been troubling for decades. Now, though, there is growing concern about the culture of those campuses. Anti-Semitism is dropping everywhere in the world except on American campuses, where it is rising. Meanwhile, students are becoming so thin-skinned that they can’t even endure Seinfeld comedy performances without working themselves into fits of offense. What is happening and what is the answer? Stephen offers his explanation in this searing podcast. [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 courtesy of Fibonacci Blue on Flickr[/custom_font]

More than 400,000 human beings have been killed in the Syrian civil war. The United States has only recently engaged in the conflict openly and directly. This happened on April 6 when President Donald Trump ordered the bombing of Syrian air bases from which chemical bombings had been launched. In this podcast, Stephen explains the good and the bad of Trump’s decision and describes how the U.S. should conduct itself as a global superpower. [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']Image courtesy of Wikimedia[/custom_font]

Neil Gorsuch is now a U.S. Supreme Court Justice, but the process of getting him there has poisoned American politics. Opponents of Gorsuch, already offended over Republican dismissal of Obama nominee Merrick Garland, had to endure a revision of a Senate tradition to see Gorsuch confirmed by a simple majority. In this podcast, Stephen explains these issues, takes a look at our ingenious Constitutional system, and explains what looms for the Supreme Court’s future. [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']Image courtesy of the U.S. Government[/custom_font]

In this special holiday episode, Stephen describes the pointed conspiracy and gruesome execution involved in the last days of Jesus Christ. Check out Killing Jesus by Stephen Mansfield on Amazon.com. [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 courtesy of midiman on Flickr[/custom_font]

While most Americans are distracted by the Trump administration’s first months, there is an historic moment approaching in the Middle East. With ISIS soon to be defeated, the opportunity for a free and independent nation of Kurdistan is upon us. It is long past due, though it could be prevented by the distraction of the West and divisions among the Kurds. Stephen explains all of this and calls for a global movement in favor of an independent Kurdistan. [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 courtesy of jan Sefti on Flickr[/custom_font]

On Monday, March 20, the House Select Intelligence Committee heard testimony from FBI Director James Comey and NSA Director Admiral Rogers. Americans learned that Russia is intent upon undermining American democracy, that it sought to determine the outcome of the 2016 presidential election, and that there were “links” between Russia and the Trump campaign. What kind of links are still being investigated by the FBI and the NSA. In this podcast, Stephen responds to the information that surfaced during these hearings and gives a loud trumpet call to all Americans on the issue of Russia. [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']Image courtesy of Zerchoo News[/custom_font]

For years, the United States has maintained an incarceration facility at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba. President Obama intended to close it but never did during his eight years in office. Now, Donald Trump has declared his intention to house even more suspected terrorists there. In this podcast, Stephen explains his belief that Guantánamo should be closed and also describes the story of one man who was kept there for fourteen years, only to be found innocent of any wrongdoing. You’ll be surprised by his story and by the startling facts of Guantánamo Bay. [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 courtesy of the International Committee of the Red Cross on Wikipedia[/custom_font]

Donald Trump says he wants to drain the swamp in Washington, DC and get things done. It is a good idea. Yet his approach to this involves ignoring expertise and experience and doing things the way he has always done them. It won’t work. In this podcast, Stephen explains why expertise and change aren’t enemies, and what kind of correction needs to happen in the Trump administration. [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 courtesy of DonkeyHotey on Flickr[/custom_font]

High-ranking military officers now lead the Department of Homeland Security and the Defense Department. Yet another is President Trump’s National Security Advisor. Some in Washington are concerned that this is too much, that a civilian government ought not have generals in cabinet positions. Stephen disagrees. In this podcast, he speaks movingly about his own experience as a military brat and also tells the stories of some of the American heroes who now help lead this nation.

Donald Trump has nominated Judge Neil Gorsuch for the U.S. Supreme Court. He is an originalist and a textualist. He’s only 49 and he’s one of the best educated and most experienced Supreme Court nominees in U.S. history. Stephen explains why he thinks Judge Gorsuch is a brilliant choice for the court and why he will help restore the proper role for the judiciary.

When Stephen expressed his support for the broad purposes of the recent Women’s March but also said he had reservations, he got huge feedback from his listeners. Most of it was positive, and there were some important questions. In this podcast, he answers those questions, which carries him through the pages of scripture and into issues as controversial and diverse as abortion and gay rights. Check Out Part 1: Standing With Women [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']Women's March on Versailles (1789; artist unknown) on Wikimedia[/custom_font]

Donald Trump has issued an executive order banning immigration from countries terrorists have used for entry into the United States. The order was badly timed, badly crafted, and badly announced. Yet most Americans would have supported the administration’s intentions for the order had objectives been long-term and had time for “buy-in” from Americans been allowed. Stephen brings his experience as a political communications consultant to this controversial moment in our history. [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 courtesy of rchappo2002 on Flickr[/custom_font]

The recent worldwide Women’s March was an impressive display of support for women’s rights and an impressive reaction to the misdeeds of Donald Trump. Stephen wishes he could have joined it. He has said publicly and often that he is as much a feminist as it is possible for a Christian to be. So what about the Women’s March kept him from supporting it? You’ll want to hear Stephen explain! [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']Women's March on Versailles (1789; artist unknown) on Wikimedia[/custom_font]

Donald Trump is raising questions about the truthfulness of news reporting by major media outlets. Even if we disagree with him, we’ve all had reason to question whether the news we get is biased and inaccurate. Stephen believes these are important questions to ask. In this podcast, he lists steps we can all take to drill down into the facts of the news we receive and so turn data into useful information. [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 courtesy of Christian Schirrmacher on Flickr[/custom_font]

We are all overwhelmed with data passing itself off as information. We are all pressured to form opinions about what we learn. We find ourselves in troubled territory, though, when we confuse opinions with knowledge, when we mistake our beliefs about the facts with the importance of the facts themselves. Stephen presses this point strongly and offers practical steps for rising above the curse of opinions. [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 courtesy of Farhad Sadykov on Flickr[/custom_font]

As the new year begins, Stephen looks back over the main events of 2016 through the lens of manhood. Our age seems to be crying out for a surge of righteous masculinity. Stephen lists some of the elements of this kind of manhood and calls for action from each of his listeners. CC image courtesy of Zach Dischner on Flickr

T’is (almost) the night before Christmas: Stephen finishes up a two-part historical series on the lore and traditions behind our nation’s most beloved holiday. Who is “Santa Claus,” and where did he come from? Listen to part 1 here: The Story of Christmas [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']Merry Old Santa Claus by Thomas Nast[/custom_font]

In our era of religious confusion and error, it’s easy to become confused about Christmas. Is it a religious fabrication? Did the early church celebrate it? Is it an invention of corporate America? In this calm, reasoned podcast, Stephen tells the history of Christmas and makes some recommendations for your own celebration. [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']Image: The Adoration of the Shepherds - Gerard van Honthorst[/custom_font]

In our troubled age, we often hear people declare that these are “the worst of times,” that this is “a horrible time to be alive.” Stephen insists that not only is this a cancerous belief to carry in our souls, it simply isn’t true factually. This podcast is an antidote to the toxic cynicism of our generation. [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 courtesy of Esteban Morales Sing Long on Flickr[/custom_font]

We live in a digital age, and we are glad we do. We are grateful for the benefits of our online lives. Yet it is possible for us to confuse digital information with genuine experience. Stephen explores this danger in his latest podcast and describes the troubles that come from confusing our digital and our authentic lives. [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 courtesy of Frontierofficial on Flickr[/custom_font]

It’s possible to get the impression from some highly visible American Christians that the church is the "Republican Party at Prayer.” In his new podcast, Stephen combats this idea by describing the elements of a Christian view of governing. As always, he’s controversial, hard-hitting, and disturbingly biblical. [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 courtesy of sidkid on Flickr[/custom_font]

In what has become a Stephen Mansfield Podcast Thanksgiving tradition, Stephen tells the story of the Pilgrim Thanksgiving, the one that has inspired the American holiday. So gather the family and listen to this brief, exciting account of an episode from our nation’s history and from our heritage of faith. [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']Landing of the Pilgrims by Michele Felice Cornè, circa 1805[/custom_font]

On the morning after the conclusion of the 2016 presidential election, Stephen discusses the surprises, the implications and the looming challenges of a Donald Trump presidency. You won’t want to miss this raw, “early-the-next-morning” chat with Stephen. [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 courtesy of Gage Skidmore[/custom_font]

On November 4th, a movie called Hacksaw Ridge will release nationwide. Stephen attended an early premiere of this film and is convinced it can help heal our country in the wake of a tumultuous presidential election. In this review of the film, Stephen tells the story of Desmond Doss, the film’s WWII hero subject, and explains why he believes it is one of the most significant “faith films” ever made.

Whatever else the 2016 presidential election means to us, it has been a heartrending look at the state of manhood today. We’ve had vile language, racism and sexual misconduct defended by one candidate—and his religious supporters—while the other candidate would return to the White House one of America’s most immoral presidents. Some commentators have treated all of this with a “boys will be boys” disregard. Stephen believes that this election amounts to a call to action for American men. You won’t want to miss this fiery, alternative look at our modern politics. [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 courtesy of Aterkel on Flickr[/custom_font]

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 democratic reforms. [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 courtesy of Thomas Hawk on Flickr[/custom_font]

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 nation. [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 courtesy of DonkeyHotey on Flickr[/custom_font]

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='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']Image by Idintify Media[/custom_font]

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='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 courtesy of Michael Vadon and Gage Skidmore on Wikimedia[/custom_font]