1 00:00:15,604 --> 00:00:26,884 Speaker 1: Pushkin. Hey everyone, welcome back to Risky Business, a show 2 00:00:26,924 --> 00:00:30,524 Speaker 1: about making better decisions or freaking the fuck out. I'm 3 00:00:30,564 --> 00:00:32,044 Speaker 1: Maria Kandikova. 4 00:00:32,004 --> 00:00:36,084 Speaker 2: And I'm Nate Silvan. It's is our first emergency episode. 5 00:00:36,124 --> 00:00:40,084 Speaker 1: I believe is this is it is it is. It's 6 00:00:40,124 --> 00:00:43,684 Speaker 1: our emergency podcast. You guys heard our voices just yesterday, 7 00:00:43,764 --> 00:00:48,244 Speaker 1: and we are back again today, Friday, after the presidential 8 00:00:48,284 --> 00:00:54,124 Speaker 1: elections because we just could not sleep. Literally in some cases. 9 00:00:54,004 --> 00:00:59,804 Speaker 2: Elections are oh yes, sorry, which gives people thankfully. 10 00:00:59,844 --> 00:01:01,844 Speaker 1: This is how fried my brain is. This is how 11 00:01:01,884 --> 00:01:05,884 Speaker 1: fried my brain is. I said, elections instead of debate. So, Nate, 12 00:01:05,964 --> 00:01:09,004 Speaker 1: last night we were both watching the debates from opposite 13 00:01:09,044 --> 00:01:12,884 Speaker 1: coasts and about let's see twenty minutes in. I actually 14 00:01:12,924 --> 00:01:16,124 Speaker 1: have the time stamp on my phone. Six twenty, I 15 00:01:16,204 --> 00:01:19,644 Speaker 1: texted you, since you know we we were not watching it. 16 00:01:19,724 --> 00:01:22,404 Speaker 1: We were watching it together but apart, and I'm just 17 00:01:22,404 --> 00:01:25,044 Speaker 1: going to read my text, I says. I said, this 18 00:01:25,124 --> 00:01:27,764 Speaker 1: debate is painful, what is even happening? Make it stop? 19 00:01:28,004 --> 00:01:30,684 Speaker 1: And then I said we are so fucked. And that 20 00:01:30,844 --> 00:01:32,844 Speaker 1: is when I knew Nate that we had to talk today. 21 00:01:33,404 --> 00:01:35,084 Speaker 3: Yeah, and I was getting a lot of texts like that. 22 00:01:35,404 --> 00:01:38,564 Speaker 2: You know, people know, like I'm busy during debates, I'm 23 00:01:38,564 --> 00:01:40,804 Speaker 2: probably going to respond right away, but like the degree 24 00:01:40,844 --> 00:01:43,284 Speaker 2: of unanimity. 25 00:01:42,844 --> 00:01:43,604 Speaker 1: You responded to me. 26 00:01:43,684 --> 00:01:47,204 Speaker 2: Thanks, Yeah, look, you're hyph riary the degree of unanimity 27 00:01:47,564 --> 00:01:51,724 Speaker 2: that I was seeing from from you know, different types 28 00:01:51,764 --> 00:01:56,084 Speaker 2: of Democrats, right centrist Democrats and left wing Democrats and 29 00:01:56,124 --> 00:01:59,324 Speaker 2: Democrats who have been very mad at me for suggesting 30 00:01:59,404 --> 00:02:02,284 Speaker 2: Derek to suggests that having a guy running to be 31 00:02:02,284 --> 00:02:05,044 Speaker 2: president Untilose eighty six might be a bad idea and 32 00:02:05,084 --> 00:02:09,244 Speaker 2: couldn't badly and or with a Donald Trump presidency instead, 33 00:02:10,644 --> 00:02:14,004 Speaker 2: And like, I want to criticize people who change their 34 00:02:14,044 --> 00:02:16,484 Speaker 2: mind in the direction that I think is persuasive. But 35 00:02:16,604 --> 00:02:23,284 Speaker 2: like among the media slash pundit class, you have to 36 00:02:23,324 --> 00:02:26,244 Speaker 2: be really bad when the incentives are so strong to spin. 37 00:02:26,964 --> 00:02:29,084 Speaker 2: You have to be really bad to get to a 38 00:02:29,124 --> 00:02:32,004 Speaker 2: point where even the spinners kind of give up. 39 00:02:32,124 --> 00:02:35,404 Speaker 3: Right, And I'm you know, the. 40 00:02:35,444 --> 00:02:39,364 Speaker 2: Term preference cascade is sometimes used where people think something 41 00:02:39,444 --> 00:02:42,484 Speaker 2: and there's a social stigma of saying it. Well, there's 42 00:02:42,524 --> 00:02:45,084 Speaker 2: no longer a social stigma of saying that Joe Biden 43 00:02:45,404 --> 00:02:49,244 Speaker 2: should drop out, right, That's like, that's like almost like 44 00:02:49,284 --> 00:02:52,404 Speaker 2: the normy not normally damn voter you although actually it 45 00:02:52,444 --> 00:02:55,004 Speaker 2: is Actually I take that back, because like if you 46 00:02:55,044 --> 00:02:58,364 Speaker 2: look at Poles, and overwhelming majority of voters and the 47 00:02:58,524 --> 00:03:01,564 Speaker 2: majority of Democrats, not an overwhelming majority of Democrats have 48 00:03:01,684 --> 00:03:04,364 Speaker 2: said that they think Biden is too old to be 49 00:03:04,404 --> 00:03:06,084 Speaker 2: president at least for another four years. 50 00:03:07,244 --> 00:03:11,564 Speaker 3: So look, I think this was, you know. 51 00:03:12,124 --> 00:03:14,804 Speaker 2: Relative to Look, I actually thought about this ahead of time, Maria, 52 00:03:14,844 --> 00:03:17,724 Speaker 2: because I'm weird like that, right. I thought there was 53 00:03:17,764 --> 00:03:21,164 Speaker 2: like a twenty percent chance that I would write a 54 00:03:21,164 --> 00:03:24,164 Speaker 2: post which I wrote at Silver Bolton early this morning 55 00:03:24,244 --> 00:03:25,364 Speaker 2: slash late last night. 56 00:03:25,724 --> 00:03:27,924 Speaker 3: Entitled Yes, Joe Biden should drop out. 57 00:03:28,804 --> 00:03:30,444 Speaker 2: I thought there was a twenty percent chance of that, 58 00:03:30,884 --> 00:03:32,724 Speaker 2: but I thought that twenty percent people would be really 59 00:03:32,724 --> 00:03:35,284 Speaker 2: really mad at me. And now like everyone loves the 60 00:03:35,284 --> 00:03:37,364 Speaker 2: post and it's like the conventional wisdom and it's obvious 61 00:03:38,004 --> 00:03:38,764 Speaker 2: apparently right. 62 00:03:39,244 --> 00:03:41,364 Speaker 1: But like, by the way, you got a lot of 63 00:03:41,364 --> 00:03:43,244 Speaker 1: shit when you said he should drop out when we 64 00:03:43,244 --> 00:03:45,644 Speaker 1: were talking about on this podcast about four weeks ago 65 00:03:46,444 --> 00:03:48,724 Speaker 1: something like that, because you said he could drop out. 66 00:03:48,764 --> 00:03:50,244 Speaker 3: We didn't say he should should. 67 00:03:50,604 --> 00:03:51,644 Speaker 1: We said he should consider. 68 00:03:51,724 --> 00:03:54,444 Speaker 2: And then we launched our election model on wed days 69 00:03:54,484 --> 00:03:57,684 Speaker 2: and even on Wednesday, and Biden had like a thirty 70 00:03:57,724 --> 00:03:59,884 Speaker 2: five percent chance of winning that forecast, and that will 71 00:03:59,884 --> 00:04:02,164 Speaker 2: probably go down maybe quite a bit after the debate. 72 00:04:03,364 --> 00:04:06,884 Speaker 2: But like at thirty five percent is where I was 73 00:04:06,964 --> 00:04:09,804 Speaker 2: roughly indifferent. It's a good poker term, right, although actually 74 00:04:10,204 --> 00:04:12,204 Speaker 2: use that in like regular life. It's like not that weird, 75 00:04:12,244 --> 00:04:15,004 Speaker 2: but like I was indifferent at thirty five percent between 76 00:04:15,124 --> 00:04:17,524 Speaker 2: Biden and mystery. 77 00:04:17,964 --> 00:04:19,644 Speaker 1: And folding, right, yeah, between. 78 00:04:19,324 --> 00:04:24,004 Speaker 2: Calling and folding, you know, whatever his efforts debate, it's 79 00:04:24,044 --> 00:04:26,204 Speaker 2: it's a fold. It's not even a fucking close fold, right, 80 00:04:26,204 --> 00:04:27,964 Speaker 2: It's not even I'm not gonna I'm not going to 81 00:04:28,084 --> 00:04:31,164 Speaker 2: use a time bank chip thinking about this one any longer. 82 00:04:31,204 --> 00:04:33,844 Speaker 3: It's not tenable, not tenable to have. 83 00:04:34,164 --> 00:04:35,524 Speaker 2: I mean, I'm not just even tenable for him to 84 00:04:35,564 --> 00:04:37,684 Speaker 2: be president for the next six months or whatever, right, 85 00:04:37,684 --> 00:04:39,524 Speaker 2: I mean, that's a debate we could probably have, right, 86 00:04:39,564 --> 00:04:43,164 Speaker 2: that might be close, but like, it's not tenable to 87 00:04:43,244 --> 00:04:45,484 Speaker 2: have someone who wants to be president for another four 88 00:04:45,484 --> 00:04:48,284 Speaker 2: and a half years give a performance like that where 89 00:04:48,324 --> 00:04:51,244 Speaker 2: he obviously shows his age, which is what you'd expect 90 00:04:51,244 --> 00:04:53,164 Speaker 2: because he's eighty one and he wants to be president 91 00:04:53,204 --> 00:04:56,844 Speaker 2: until he's eighty six. It's not tenable to have this 92 00:04:56,924 --> 00:05:00,044 Speaker 2: person continue to run for president right now. People are 93 00:05:00,084 --> 00:05:03,044 Speaker 2: fucking stupid and stubborn, especially old people. Yeah, and they 94 00:05:03,084 --> 00:05:05,404 Speaker 2: may make a bad decision, but like, if you care 95 00:05:05,444 --> 00:05:09,124 Speaker 2: about like, uh, defeating Donald Trump, if you care about 96 00:05:09,124 --> 00:05:11,724 Speaker 2: the kind of you' sure the Democratic Party, and if 97 00:05:11,764 --> 00:05:14,364 Speaker 2: you care about listening to like the voters who have 98 00:05:14,644 --> 00:05:17,164 Speaker 2: done you the favor of telling you this for a year, 99 00:05:17,284 --> 00:05:19,764 Speaker 2: that like, yeah, hey, common sense, you know, eighty one 100 00:05:19,804 --> 00:05:21,924 Speaker 2: is too old to be president and president was eighty six. 101 00:05:23,084 --> 00:05:25,324 Speaker 2: I'm sorry, but like this is kind of not that 102 00:05:25,364 --> 00:05:28,164 Speaker 2: close a decision anymore, I don't think. And in some ways, 103 00:05:28,204 --> 00:05:31,244 Speaker 2: like I told, like a I'm rambling. I'm sorry, you know, 104 00:05:31,604 --> 00:05:33,764 Speaker 2: it's I. 105 00:05:33,764 --> 00:05:35,924 Speaker 1: Told you're allowed to ramble on it, and then I'll 106 00:05:36,004 --> 00:05:38,084 Speaker 1: ramble after you. Please continue with. 107 00:05:38,204 --> 00:05:40,764 Speaker 2: This little social event on Wednesday night, and I had 108 00:05:40,764 --> 00:05:42,684 Speaker 2: a good conversation with women I had met before, and 109 00:05:43,084 --> 00:05:47,724 Speaker 2: she was despondent about Biden's performance, and I'm like, well, 110 00:05:47,724 --> 00:05:49,764 Speaker 2: you'd probably root for it to go either really well 111 00:05:49,924 --> 00:05:54,204 Speaker 2: or really badly, right because the muddling through the status quo, 112 00:05:55,004 --> 00:05:57,324 Speaker 2: you know, two third chance of losing or whatever. I mean, 113 00:05:57,324 --> 00:05:59,444 Speaker 2: one thirds in that bad as any poker player knows. 114 00:06:00,524 --> 00:06:03,404 Speaker 2: But you know, it may have been so bad that 115 00:06:03,844 --> 00:06:08,764 Speaker 2: it's the thing that saves Democrats from a disaster. Although 116 00:06:08,804 --> 00:06:11,644 Speaker 2: I still think and the other nominee against Trump would 117 00:06:11,684 --> 00:06:14,364 Speaker 2: also be, you know, in a difficult position. 118 00:06:14,404 --> 00:06:15,924 Speaker 3: I'm not Pollyanna ish about. 119 00:06:16,364 --> 00:06:19,284 Speaker 2: Yeah, Oh, Gavin Newsom waved the wine and now he wins. 120 00:06:19,364 --> 00:06:23,124 Speaker 2: Like no, I think Gavin Newsom now or Kamala Harris 121 00:06:24,444 --> 00:06:26,844 Speaker 2: has a puncher's chance or maybe more than a puncher's chance, 122 00:06:26,884 --> 00:06:29,724 Speaker 2: but like but like just you know, might be below 123 00:06:29,764 --> 00:06:31,884 Speaker 2: fifty percent, but above Biden. 124 00:06:33,284 --> 00:06:36,004 Speaker 1: Yeah, So a few things. I mean, first of all, like, yes, 125 00:06:36,044 --> 00:06:40,444 Speaker 1: I think that yesterday was abysmal. I mean I actually 126 00:06:40,484 --> 00:06:43,404 Speaker 1: literally was watching at the beginning, like I do horror movies, 127 00:06:43,764 --> 00:06:46,324 Speaker 1: like sometimes when something is too grizzly, like I like, 128 00:06:46,884 --> 00:06:49,124 Speaker 1: you know, shield my face and I don't even realize 129 00:06:49,124 --> 00:06:51,364 Speaker 1: I'm doing it. And I was doing that yesterday, Like 130 00:06:51,404 --> 00:06:53,644 Speaker 1: I was sitting on the couch and like at some 131 00:06:53,724 --> 00:06:55,764 Speaker 1: point I just went like this, you know, I shielded 132 00:06:55,804 --> 00:06:57,324 Speaker 1: my eyes and I was like, oh my god, this 133 00:06:57,404 --> 00:06:59,804 Speaker 1: is this is just it was painful, Like it was 134 00:06:59,844 --> 00:07:02,924 Speaker 1: actually physically painful to watch, especially at the beginning. I 135 00:07:02,924 --> 00:07:04,884 Speaker 1: think he got a little bit better, but he was 136 00:07:04,964 --> 00:07:07,884 Speaker 1: just struggling so much, and you could really see his 137 00:07:07,924 --> 00:07:10,724 Speaker 1: age and Trump, I mean, Trump was making no sense either, 138 00:07:10,764 --> 00:07:14,364 Speaker 1: but he was confidentially making no sense and lying, and 139 00:07:14,484 --> 00:07:18,284 Speaker 1: the fact that a candidate couldn't beat that, couldn't point 140 00:07:18,324 --> 00:07:20,644 Speaker 1: out the inconsistency, you know, the old I was a 141 00:07:20,644 --> 00:07:23,044 Speaker 1: debater all through school. Like the debater part of me, 142 00:07:23,084 --> 00:07:25,284 Speaker 1: I was like, I wanted to be like, oh my god, 143 00:07:25,324 --> 00:07:26,724 Speaker 1: you know you have to you have to do you 144 00:07:26,764 --> 00:07:28,404 Speaker 1: have to interrupt him here, you have to try, you 145 00:07:28,444 --> 00:07:30,444 Speaker 1: have to do this, you have to address this. And 146 00:07:30,484 --> 00:07:33,804 Speaker 1: then Biden just flubbed his biggest points, you know, abortion, 147 00:07:33,964 --> 00:07:36,524 Speaker 1: He just suddenly pivoted to immigration. You know, it was 148 00:07:36,564 --> 00:07:40,724 Speaker 1: just it was just really really sad, heartbreaking and also scary. 149 00:07:40,844 --> 00:07:42,924 Speaker 1: Like I said, I felt like I was watching just 150 00:07:42,964 --> 00:07:46,044 Speaker 1: this slow motion train wreck horror movie where I didn't 151 00:07:46,044 --> 00:07:48,564 Speaker 1: even want to see what was happening on screen. Now, 152 00:07:49,004 --> 00:07:50,924 Speaker 1: what you were saying, kind of the second part of 153 00:07:50,964 --> 00:07:55,844 Speaker 1: your ramble about people, you said you were rambling. You 154 00:07:56,204 --> 00:07:58,164 Speaker 1: called it a ramble, So I'm just referring back to 155 00:07:58,164 --> 00:08:00,004 Speaker 1: what you said. It was a very cocerent ramble. I 156 00:08:00,004 --> 00:08:02,164 Speaker 1: didn't think you were. I didn't think you were rambling, 157 00:08:02,164 --> 00:08:04,524 Speaker 1: but then you said I'm rambling. So that's why I'm 158 00:08:04,564 --> 00:08:04,844 Speaker 1: calling it. 159 00:08:06,844 --> 00:08:08,644 Speaker 2: You're supposed to say, oh, this look great on me, right, 160 00:08:08,644 --> 00:08:11,484 Speaker 2: It's like, you know, I'm all right, Nate in. 161 00:08:11,444 --> 00:08:15,764 Speaker 1: The second part of your incredibly coherent multi part speech. 162 00:08:16,724 --> 00:08:18,604 Speaker 1: Oh by the way, now I'm going to go on 163 00:08:18,644 --> 00:08:22,444 Speaker 1: a ramble on a tangent and say that every single 164 00:08:22,484 --> 00:08:25,564 Speaker 1: time that Biden started saying number one, I was like, 165 00:08:25,644 --> 00:08:27,804 Speaker 1: please don't do it, Please don't do it. You're not 166 00:08:27,844 --> 00:08:29,324 Speaker 1: going to get like, we're not going to get to 167 00:08:29,404 --> 00:08:32,884 Speaker 1: number two. And then he would say like number one again, 168 00:08:33,004 --> 00:08:35,284 Speaker 1: and I was like, oh no, just just please stop. 169 00:08:35,324 --> 00:08:38,284 Speaker 1: Stop stop doing these lists. Is this is not good. 170 00:08:38,564 --> 00:08:41,804 Speaker 1: And other people felt that way as well. But anyhow, 171 00:08:41,844 --> 00:08:43,244 Speaker 1: what I was going to say is the second part 172 00:08:43,244 --> 00:08:46,004 Speaker 1: of what you were talking about, kind of the stubbornness. 173 00:08:46,324 --> 00:08:50,684 Speaker 1: And I've actually seen reactions to people saying, well, you know, 174 00:08:50,764 --> 00:08:53,964 Speaker 1: it's what will this say about the Democratic Party that 175 00:08:54,004 --> 00:08:56,524 Speaker 1: they've been like hiding this and blah blah blah. No, 176 00:08:56,684 --> 00:08:58,884 Speaker 1: so let's go back to something we've talked about on 177 00:08:58,924 --> 00:09:02,124 Speaker 1: this podcast before, which is the sunk cost fallacy like 178 00:09:02,404 --> 00:09:06,364 Speaker 1: this is probably the single most important sunk cost fallacy 179 00:09:06,844 --> 00:09:11,324 Speaker 1: that you could face and you know in politics ever, 180 00:09:11,484 --> 00:09:14,444 Speaker 1: which is that you know some cost fallacy to remind 181 00:09:14,484 --> 00:09:18,004 Speaker 1: our listeners putting good money after bad, good time after bad, 182 00:09:18,844 --> 00:09:22,244 Speaker 1: good energy after bad, basically saying that because we haven't 183 00:09:22,284 --> 00:09:24,404 Speaker 1: done something to this point, or we have done this 184 00:09:24,724 --> 00:09:27,204 Speaker 1: and we've already invested, we can't change right. We have 185 00:09:27,284 --> 00:09:30,004 Speaker 1: to keep going and we have to just continue on 186 00:09:30,084 --> 00:09:33,604 Speaker 1: the path we're on. Whereas the rational choice might be 187 00:09:34,204 --> 00:09:36,444 Speaker 1: to say, Okay, you know what. I can't change the 188 00:09:36,484 --> 00:09:40,404 Speaker 1: fact that we didn't replace Biden immediately. I can't change 189 00:09:40,444 --> 00:09:42,644 Speaker 1: the fact that we didn't convince Biden not to run 190 00:09:42,684 --> 00:09:45,284 Speaker 1: for a second term and to step down immediately. I 191 00:09:45,324 --> 00:09:47,404 Speaker 1: can't change the fact that back in September, when we 192 00:09:47,444 --> 00:09:50,164 Speaker 1: had more time, he didn't step down. What I can 193 00:09:50,284 --> 00:09:52,644 Speaker 1: change is what I'm doing right now. And that doesn't 194 00:09:52,684 --> 00:09:56,484 Speaker 1: mean I'm nefarious. That doesn't mean that I've done something stupid, 195 00:09:56,484 --> 00:09:59,284 Speaker 1: that I've been hiding things. All it means is that 196 00:09:59,324 --> 00:10:04,124 Speaker 1: the information the dataset has changed the reality right now 197 00:10:04,164 --> 00:10:06,684 Speaker 1: isn't the reality of a year ago or two years ago, which, 198 00:10:06,724 --> 00:10:10,404 Speaker 1: as you pointed out in your newsletter, happens because decline 199 00:10:10,644 --> 00:10:13,444 Speaker 1: does happen kind of suddenly, and you know, it's not 200 00:10:13,484 --> 00:10:17,004 Speaker 1: like it's a very gradual process, you know. And we 201 00:10:17,084 --> 00:10:20,444 Speaker 1: I think we witnessed it yesterday. But what you should 202 00:10:20,444 --> 00:10:22,564 Speaker 1: say is, Okay, this doesn't say anything bad about me. 203 00:10:22,924 --> 00:10:25,804 Speaker 1: What it says is that I'm smart, that I understand 204 00:10:25,804 --> 00:10:28,124 Speaker 1: what's happening right now, and then I'm willing to change 205 00:10:28,124 --> 00:10:31,164 Speaker 1: my mind. And that is a sign of intelligence and savvy. 206 00:10:31,484 --> 00:10:34,204 Speaker 1: And as you say, having Biden step down is not 207 00:10:34,284 --> 00:10:37,764 Speaker 1: guaranteeing a Democratic victory, but having him not step down 208 00:10:38,204 --> 00:10:41,524 Speaker 1: is almost almost, I mean not quite, but almost handing 209 00:10:41,564 --> 00:10:42,444 Speaker 1: the victory to Trump. 210 00:10:42,724 --> 00:10:43,684 Speaker 3: Yeah, I don't know. 211 00:10:43,724 --> 00:10:45,684 Speaker 2: I mean, you know, again, he was at thirty five 212 00:10:45,684 --> 00:10:49,244 Speaker 2: percent or thirty three percent whatever before the debate. The 213 00:10:49,284 --> 00:10:52,124 Speaker 2: CNN instant pole of debate watchers had him losing two 214 00:10:52,124 --> 00:10:54,044 Speaker 2: to one. This is a poll the Democrats have won 215 00:10:54,844 --> 00:10:58,164 Speaker 2: every debate that Trump has ever participated in, every debate 216 00:10:58,204 --> 00:11:01,964 Speaker 2: since the first of eate in twenty twelve. That might translate, 217 00:11:02,004 --> 00:11:03,924 Speaker 2: if you kind of use the back of the envelope formula, 218 00:11:04,484 --> 00:11:07,044 Speaker 2: into Biden losing another two or three points, and they 219 00:11:07,084 --> 00:11:10,044 Speaker 2: head to head poles against Trump. At that point he 220 00:11:10,124 --> 00:11:12,764 Speaker 2: might follod it twenty percent or something in our model, 221 00:11:12,764 --> 00:11:15,044 Speaker 2: and twenty percent is still meaningly above zero. But look, 222 00:11:15,244 --> 00:11:18,164 Speaker 2: as you were saying, like, I mean, there's two things here. 223 00:11:18,164 --> 00:11:19,564 Speaker 2: One is that there has been a lot of new 224 00:11:19,564 --> 00:11:21,244 Speaker 2: information revealed. 225 00:11:21,324 --> 00:11:21,524 Speaker 3: Right. 226 00:11:21,604 --> 00:11:23,404 Speaker 2: I might have made an inference that I thought Biden 227 00:11:23,444 --> 00:11:24,844 Speaker 2: wasn't going to handle the debate. Well, but that was 228 00:11:24,884 --> 00:11:27,724 Speaker 2: just a guess, right, And now we have actual evidence 229 00:11:27,764 --> 00:11:30,524 Speaker 2: of it, and we have evidence of Biden's polling being 230 00:11:30,564 --> 00:11:34,004 Speaker 2: stagnant and Trump maintaining a lead after all this stuff 231 00:11:34,044 --> 00:11:36,804 Speaker 2: that has happened, like Trump's criminal convictions and the economy 232 00:11:36,844 --> 00:11:39,204 Speaker 2: getting quite a bit better, and Willage being more. 233 00:11:39,084 --> 00:11:41,804 Speaker 3: Focused on the race. There's also a poker thing. 234 00:11:41,724 --> 00:11:45,644 Speaker 2: Though, where like sometimes you have a hand where there 235 00:11:45,724 --> 00:11:49,284 Speaker 2: isn't new information, however you have more time to reflect 236 00:11:49,604 --> 00:11:51,564 Speaker 2: and come to your senses. Right, you can have a 237 00:11:51,604 --> 00:11:54,844 Speaker 2: hand where it's like, well, why to call with this 238 00:11:54,924 --> 00:11:56,444 Speaker 2: hand on the turn? If I'm going to fold to 239 00:11:56,484 --> 00:11:58,604 Speaker 2: the river on a relatively good card for me, and 240 00:11:58,644 --> 00:12:00,284 Speaker 2: if you plug it into a solver, it would say 241 00:12:00,284 --> 00:12:03,124 Speaker 2: you've made a mistake. Well, it's because you had more 242 00:12:03,164 --> 00:12:05,404 Speaker 2: time to think about it on the river. Maybe you're 243 00:12:05,404 --> 00:12:07,244 Speaker 2: a little bit tilted or something on the turn, maybe 244 00:12:07,244 --> 00:12:10,524 Speaker 2: you were distracted, maybe you're playing poker online multi tabling, 245 00:12:10,524 --> 00:12:13,524 Speaker 2: playing more than one table at once, so being able 246 00:12:13,564 --> 00:12:16,364 Speaker 2: to say, look, I have thought about this more, and 247 00:12:16,404 --> 00:12:19,524 Speaker 2: I'm changing my mind, certainly when there's new information, but 248 00:12:19,564 --> 00:12:21,404 Speaker 2: even when there's not is also assigned. 249 00:12:21,444 --> 00:12:23,404 Speaker 3: And I think judgment and experience. 250 00:12:22,964 --> 00:12:27,604 Speaker 1: And character absolutely. Now I have a question for you, 251 00:12:28,204 --> 00:12:33,084 Speaker 1: so historically, and correct me if I'm wrong. I had 252 00:12:33,124 --> 00:12:38,404 Speaker 1: the sense that debates didn't affect polls that much, right, 253 00:12:39,084 --> 00:12:42,244 Speaker 1: that kind of the polls didn't don't move that much 254 00:12:42,324 --> 00:12:45,844 Speaker 1: in the in the you know, in the aftermath of 255 00:12:46,364 --> 00:12:48,724 Speaker 1: a debate. Do we think that that's going to change 256 00:12:48,884 --> 00:12:51,484 Speaker 1: in this particular case, or do we think that it 257 00:12:51,564 --> 00:12:54,084 Speaker 1: might that you know, this might still be the case here. 258 00:12:54,124 --> 00:12:56,404 Speaker 2: I mean that much is relative, right, Like nothing has 259 00:12:56,404 --> 00:12:59,124 Speaker 2: moved the polls more than like about a point at 260 00:12:59,124 --> 00:13:03,164 Speaker 2: a time. You know, if I had to predict, Trump 261 00:13:03,324 --> 00:13:05,564 Speaker 2: was one and a half points ahead in our national 262 00:13:05,564 --> 00:13:07,804 Speaker 2: polling average, which of course national poles don't really count 263 00:13:07,804 --> 00:13:10,844 Speaker 2: for very much, but it's you reasonable benchmark, one point 264 00:13:10,844 --> 00:13:12,524 Speaker 2: five points ahead in our national polling average, but I 265 00:13:12,524 --> 00:13:14,324 Speaker 2: had to predict it might be you know, three or 266 00:13:14,364 --> 00:13:17,684 Speaker 2: three and a half within a couple of weeks, once 267 00:13:17,684 --> 00:13:19,564 Speaker 2: the higher quality polls are fully priced. Ten. 268 00:13:20,164 --> 00:13:21,444 Speaker 3: You know, the problem is. 269 00:13:21,404 --> 00:13:22,844 Speaker 1: So that's actually pretty substantial. 270 00:13:22,964 --> 00:13:25,084 Speaker 3: Yeah, and that's the wild guess. It could be two, 271 00:13:25,124 --> 00:13:25,724 Speaker 3: it could be four. 272 00:13:26,204 --> 00:13:29,484 Speaker 2: I mean, look, the problem is that Biden is not 273 00:13:29,564 --> 00:13:31,764 Speaker 2: in a position where he's ahead and just has to 274 00:13:31,804 --> 00:13:36,004 Speaker 2: stem the damage, right and let the floodwaters recede. He's 275 00:13:36,084 --> 00:13:39,724 Speaker 2: behind and to come back, and he'll be further behind, 276 00:13:39,764 --> 00:13:44,204 Speaker 2: almost for sure, once these poles are incorporated. Yeah. And 277 00:13:44,404 --> 00:13:46,164 Speaker 2: you know, one of the opportunities he thought he had 278 00:13:46,204 --> 00:13:49,124 Speaker 2: to turn around the campaign was the debate. Now there's 279 00:13:49,124 --> 00:13:51,164 Speaker 2: only one more debate. And believe me, if Biden could 280 00:13:51,244 --> 00:13:54,564 Speaker 2: like cancer, he probably would. So how is this guy 281 00:13:54,724 --> 00:14:00,004 Speaker 2: supposed to show the dexterity and energy and flexibility to 282 00:14:00,884 --> 00:14:03,244 Speaker 2: mount a comeback against a guy I mean, look, whatever 283 00:14:03,244 --> 00:14:05,924 Speaker 2: you say about Trump, he immediately sens. 284 00:14:05,964 --> 00:14:07,724 Speaker 3: You can kind of see it on his face. Right. 285 00:14:08,044 --> 00:14:09,844 Speaker 2: It's like a poker player who realized that like a 286 00:14:09,884 --> 00:14:13,004 Speaker 2: player on his right is a fucking drunk fish. It's 287 00:14:13,044 --> 00:14:15,564 Speaker 2: going to donate thousands of dollars to the table, and 288 00:14:15,564 --> 00:14:18,924 Speaker 2: he's gonna guaranteed to soaking the next hour. 289 00:14:18,724 --> 00:14:20,764 Speaker 3: An hour, an hour, right next hours ahead. 290 00:14:21,044 --> 00:14:24,964 Speaker 2: Like Trump knew instantly that Biden was parted terribly and 291 00:14:26,444 --> 00:14:31,124 Speaker 2: at times was more restrained or at least was like 292 00:14:31,204 --> 00:14:34,004 Speaker 2: crisp in the delivery. And like, you know, but like 293 00:14:34,244 --> 00:14:37,444 Speaker 2: that's kind of says It's like Trump still has his 294 00:14:37,564 --> 00:14:41,404 Speaker 2: political animal instincts intact, and like I'm not sure Biden 295 00:14:41,444 --> 00:14:43,964 Speaker 2: even has that anymore. I mean, he couldn't deliver his 296 00:14:44,044 --> 00:14:47,844 Speaker 2: canned lines, he couldn't deliver his closing statement. And as 297 00:14:47,844 --> 00:14:49,964 Speaker 2: you know, when people get older, they can have days. 298 00:14:50,004 --> 00:14:51,404 Speaker 2: I mean, I don't want to name anyone in particular, 299 00:14:51,444 --> 00:14:53,684 Speaker 2: but like they can have days maybe half the time, 300 00:14:53,724 --> 00:14:56,204 Speaker 2: two thirds of the time, three quarters at the time 301 00:14:56,364 --> 00:14:59,524 Speaker 2: where they act like their old self, or maybe they 302 00:14:59,564 --> 00:15:02,644 Speaker 2: do in most capacities in their life. But it's not 303 00:15:02,684 --> 00:15:05,964 Speaker 2: good enough when you're the American president and the president 304 00:15:05,964 --> 00:15:10,284 Speaker 2: for another four fucking years. It's just irresponsible. The people 305 00:15:10,324 --> 00:15:12,204 Speaker 2: in the White House who have not spoken about this 306 00:15:12,244 --> 00:15:15,084 Speaker 2: publicly should be shun from public life frankly, you know, 307 00:15:15,284 --> 00:15:17,644 Speaker 2: I mean seriously, some of them will write, you know, 308 00:15:17,924 --> 00:15:21,124 Speaker 2: big magazine expose's and get book deals and things like that, 309 00:15:21,324 --> 00:15:23,644 Speaker 2: they're fucking cowards. If you're in the White House and 310 00:15:23,684 --> 00:15:25,884 Speaker 2: you think you're a fucking patriot, come fucking forward and 311 00:15:25,884 --> 00:15:27,884 Speaker 2: tell us what Joe Biden's really like, right, don't get 312 00:15:27,924 --> 00:15:30,164 Speaker 2: a fucking book deal in two years and then say 313 00:15:30,204 --> 00:15:32,604 Speaker 2: how much you knew all along? You're a fucking coward. Yeah, 314 00:15:32,644 --> 00:15:34,844 Speaker 2: not like willing to speak or defend him. Er say, look, 315 00:15:34,884 --> 00:15:36,284 Speaker 2: I'm being honest and I'm going to tell you that, 316 00:15:36,284 --> 00:15:38,204 Speaker 2: like it's actually not that bad. That's fine too, but 317 00:15:38,284 --> 00:15:41,364 Speaker 2: like there's a lot of fucking cowards at the Democredit Party. 318 00:15:52,244 --> 00:15:55,044 Speaker 1: So something that you said makes me kind of reflect 319 00:15:55,044 --> 00:15:57,204 Speaker 1: on a broader point, which is that you know, our 320 00:15:57,444 --> 00:16:01,124 Speaker 1: decision making ability, our cognitive capacity isn't equal right over time, 321 00:16:01,724 --> 00:16:03,884 Speaker 1: and you could have good days and bad days. Now, 322 00:16:03,924 --> 00:16:07,644 Speaker 1: what we saw yesterday was a high pressure situation, right 323 00:16:07,884 --> 00:16:12,084 Speaker 1: performance under time, pressure performance with the cameras on you. 324 00:16:12,364 --> 00:16:15,484 Speaker 1: High pressure, Like you know, you need to perform. And 325 00:16:16,844 --> 00:16:20,044 Speaker 1: the thing is, if you're running to be the president 326 00:16:20,204 --> 00:16:23,364 Speaker 1: of the United States, that's when you need to perform well. 327 00:16:23,684 --> 00:16:27,604 Speaker 1: You need to perform well under those high pressure situations. 328 00:16:27,684 --> 00:16:30,084 Speaker 1: I don't give a fuck if you're fine on your 329 00:16:30,124 --> 00:16:32,684 Speaker 1: off days on the weekend, when you have, you know, 330 00:16:33,164 --> 00:16:35,444 Speaker 1: hours and hours to think about it. I need to 331 00:16:35,604 --> 00:16:39,084 Speaker 1: know that you're also fine in a crisis situation, when 332 00:16:39,084 --> 00:16:41,364 Speaker 1: the lights are on you, when you have to respond 333 00:16:41,524 --> 00:16:44,924 Speaker 1: undertime pressure, when you have to make hot decisions. I 334 00:16:45,084 --> 00:16:47,284 Speaker 1: want to know that that's when you shine, that you're 335 00:16:47,284 --> 00:16:49,964 Speaker 1: not going to choke. And what we saw last night 336 00:16:50,284 --> 00:16:53,804 Speaker 1: is Biden absolutely choking. And by the way, it also 337 00:16:53,964 --> 00:16:57,004 Speaker 1: kind of reminded me, you know, back in school in 338 00:16:57,284 --> 00:17:01,444 Speaker 1: political science class when you probably watch these clips two 339 00:17:01,524 --> 00:17:04,204 Speaker 1: of the original Kennedy Nixon debates, where like Nixon just 340 00:17:04,204 --> 00:17:07,924 Speaker 1: looked horrible on camera, right, and Kennedy just won because 341 00:17:07,964 --> 00:17:10,204 Speaker 1: you looked so much better. Sorry, you were going to 342 00:17:10,244 --> 00:17:14,004 Speaker 1: get another debate and there, Yeah, Bida just looked awful. 343 00:17:14,604 --> 00:17:18,444 Speaker 1: He just looked like when you looked at the split screen, 344 00:17:18,524 --> 00:17:21,084 Speaker 1: he looked lost, you know, he just looked like he 345 00:17:21,124 --> 00:17:23,244 Speaker 1: didn't know what was happening. He was gaping. He just 346 00:17:23,284 --> 00:17:27,324 Speaker 1: didn't He had no presence, and Trump has presence. I mean, 347 00:17:27,564 --> 00:17:29,884 Speaker 1: I hate Trump. He was lying. There was not a 348 00:17:29,924 --> 00:17:32,284 Speaker 1: single true word out of his mouth. But as you said, 349 00:17:32,364 --> 00:17:35,444 Speaker 1: his political instincts were on. He you know, commanded the camera. 350 00:17:35,524 --> 00:17:38,204 Speaker 1: He had this chesshire cat grin like yes, I'm about 351 00:17:38,244 --> 00:17:41,044 Speaker 1: to get all the whales money right here, like keep 352 00:17:41,084 --> 00:17:44,404 Speaker 1: it coming, and he had the barbs like the you know, 353 00:17:44,804 --> 00:17:46,204 Speaker 1: I don't know what he said at the end of 354 00:17:46,244 --> 00:17:48,844 Speaker 1: that last sentence. I don't think he knows either. I mean, 355 00:17:48,964 --> 00:17:51,484 Speaker 1: that's those clips are going to go viral, and that's 356 00:17:51,524 --> 00:17:53,764 Speaker 1: going to really be well awful. I said a lot 357 00:17:53,804 --> 00:17:56,244 Speaker 1: of different things there, but I think they're all really. 358 00:17:56,124 --> 00:17:59,484 Speaker 2: Trump was even more brazen than usual about kind of 359 00:17:59,524 --> 00:18:03,204 Speaker 2: unapologetically lying, and part because I think he realized that 360 00:18:03,244 --> 00:18:07,084 Speaker 2: like Biden couldn't fight back, right. I mean, it's what 361 00:18:07,164 --> 00:18:09,724 Speaker 2: you might call an exploitive strategy, and poker is like 362 00:18:10,204 --> 00:18:12,684 Speaker 2: I can just keep bluffing because this guy is too 363 00:18:12,724 --> 00:18:15,564 Speaker 2: weak to call me down, right, he does not have 364 00:18:15,964 --> 00:18:17,644 Speaker 2: what it takes today to call me down. 365 00:18:18,644 --> 00:18:21,484 Speaker 3: Yeah, the physical thing. I mean, there have been an advance. 366 00:18:21,164 --> 00:18:26,604 Speaker 2: Of the debate, Republican groups circulating unflattering videos of Biden 367 00:18:26,804 --> 00:18:30,204 Speaker 2: like looking like he's wandering off or dazed or freezing 368 00:18:30,324 --> 00:18:31,444 Speaker 2: and like, and these. 369 00:18:31,364 --> 00:18:32,124 Speaker 3: Videos are. 370 00:18:33,484 --> 00:18:37,524 Speaker 2: Unflatteringly and kind of selectively edited. So like you have 371 00:18:37,604 --> 00:18:40,004 Speaker 2: these news organizations put out like fact checks and say, okay, 372 00:18:40,004 --> 00:18:42,044 Speaker 2: well if you look at the broader context and Biden 373 00:18:42,204 --> 00:18:43,964 Speaker 2: was like there was one where they're in a field 374 00:18:43,964 --> 00:18:46,284 Speaker 2: at like the G seven summit and for some reason 375 00:18:46,284 --> 00:18:49,444 Speaker 2: they're like parashooters. This all sounds very weird. You know, 376 00:18:49,604 --> 00:18:52,444 Speaker 2: international organizations in Europe is weird, right, So like, of 377 00:18:52,484 --> 00:18:56,044 Speaker 2: course it's weird, but like, so what will happen is 378 00:18:56,084 --> 00:19:00,724 Speaker 2: like the fact checkers will show the full clip in context, 379 00:19:01,004 --> 00:19:03,804 Speaker 2: which also looks pretty fucking bad. Right. It also makes 380 00:19:03,844 --> 00:19:06,604 Speaker 2: by the fucking old and loss not as bad as 381 00:19:06,644 --> 00:19:11,204 Speaker 2: the GOP edited special directors cutversion. But the GFP fucking knows, 382 00:19:11,364 --> 00:19:13,404 Speaker 2: because they seem to care about winning more the Democrats 383 00:19:13,444 --> 00:19:15,684 Speaker 2: to they know that. Like they're going to have this 384 00:19:15,724 --> 00:19:18,284 Speaker 2: double hit with these videos where the added version and 385 00:19:18,364 --> 00:19:21,764 Speaker 2: all the fucking precious fact checkers dutifully show the real version, 386 00:19:21,764 --> 00:19:23,644 Speaker 2: which is also fucking bad for Biden because he's fucking 387 00:19:23,684 --> 00:19:26,804 Speaker 2: eighty one years old and he's clearly diminished. He is 388 00:19:26,964 --> 00:19:29,084 Speaker 2: maybe above average for an eighty one year old, but 389 00:19:29,124 --> 00:19:31,524 Speaker 2: he is very much diminished. I mean, what really freaked 390 00:19:31,524 --> 00:19:35,164 Speaker 2: me out about Biden was, you know, Ezra Klein wrote 391 00:19:35,204 --> 00:19:40,084 Speaker 2: this column maybe back in March or something, saying Biden 392 00:19:40,124 --> 00:19:43,004 Speaker 2: should consider dropping out and having this emergency lever pulled 393 00:19:43,044 --> 00:19:45,924 Speaker 2: at the convention. And he just linked to some videos 394 00:19:45,924 --> 00:19:50,964 Speaker 2: comparing Biden's campaign announcement in twenty twenty versus twenty twenty four. 395 00:19:51,724 --> 00:19:53,444 Speaker 3: And I saw that. I'm like, oh my god, even 396 00:19:53,484 --> 00:19:56,004 Speaker 3: though this prepared speech in even in four years. 397 00:19:56,044 --> 00:19:58,124 Speaker 2: I mean, I watched some yeah clips of the twenty 398 00:19:58,164 --> 00:20:00,204 Speaker 2: twenty debate, tookrect for the debate, and I'm like, oh, actually, 399 00:20:00,244 --> 00:20:03,284 Speaker 2: Biden is like better than I thought in twenty twenty. Right, 400 00:20:03,644 --> 00:20:08,484 Speaker 2: there is noticeable physical and mental decline, as you would 401 00:20:08,524 --> 00:20:12,244 Speaker 2: expect as an runningly you know, probabilistic prior. You would 402 00:20:12,244 --> 00:20:15,124 Speaker 2: expect that to be true when someone goes from age 403 00:20:15,164 --> 00:20:17,084 Speaker 2: seventy eight to eighty two or seventy seven to eighty 404 00:20:17,124 --> 00:20:19,884 Speaker 2: one under the pressures by the way of the US presidency, 405 00:20:20,044 --> 00:20:22,244 Speaker 2: not the least successful job in the world. 406 00:20:22,084 --> 00:20:24,884 Speaker 3: Exactly, that's what you would expect. And it's like obvious, 407 00:20:24,924 --> 00:20:27,484 Speaker 3: and like the fact that parts of the pundit class thought, oh, 408 00:20:27,524 --> 00:20:28,444 Speaker 3: just a media fixation. 409 00:20:28,604 --> 00:20:30,364 Speaker 2: It's just it's like, no, it's the It's the one 410 00:20:30,444 --> 00:20:33,604 Speaker 2: unassailable fact in this complex room living is that this 411 00:20:33,684 --> 00:20:35,524 Speaker 2: guy is too fucking old to be president. 412 00:20:35,604 --> 00:20:37,764 Speaker 3: Now the other guy tried to like start insurrection of 413 00:20:37,844 --> 00:20:39,924 Speaker 3: January six. So given those two. 414 00:20:39,804 --> 00:20:41,124 Speaker 2: Things, and I'm going to vote third party now in 415 00:20:41,124 --> 00:20:42,724 Speaker 2: New York, which is not a wing state, right, if 416 00:20:42,764 --> 00:20:43,084 Speaker 2: I were. 417 00:20:42,964 --> 00:20:44,604 Speaker 3: In Nevada, I would still hold my nose and move 418 00:20:44,644 --> 00:20:44,844 Speaker 3: for Bud. 419 00:20:44,924 --> 00:20:47,524 Speaker 1: I'm voting Biden. Yes, I hope I'm voting not Biden, 420 00:20:47,724 --> 00:20:50,044 Speaker 1: because I do hope he steps down. But I'm voting 421 00:20:50,444 --> 00:20:54,524 Speaker 1: Democrat obviously across the board, because I am in a 422 00:20:54,564 --> 00:20:57,484 Speaker 1: swing state and my vote actually matters for the first 423 00:20:57,484 --> 00:21:01,564 Speaker 1: time in my life. But you know, I think that 424 00:21:01,644 --> 00:21:04,964 Speaker 1: people are so afraid, you know, of being called ageist, 425 00:21:05,044 --> 00:21:08,004 Speaker 1: et cetera, et cetera. But this is not agism, right 426 00:21:08,044 --> 00:21:12,524 Speaker 1: there is and not saying that, oh my god, you know, 427 00:21:12,644 --> 00:21:15,204 Speaker 1: everyone over the age of seventy five should be put 428 00:21:15,244 --> 00:21:18,884 Speaker 1: to pasture. I have, you know, my thesis advisor, my 429 00:21:18,924 --> 00:21:21,964 Speaker 1: graduate advisor in grad school, Walter Michelle, was in his 430 00:21:22,004 --> 00:21:24,684 Speaker 1: eighties right and was one of the sharpest people I knew, 431 00:21:24,724 --> 00:21:27,484 Speaker 1: and I became friends with one of his closest friends, 432 00:21:27,524 --> 00:21:30,164 Speaker 1: Danny Connoman, you know, non Bell laureate who was then 433 00:21:30,204 --> 00:21:33,004 Speaker 1: in his seventies, sharp up until both of them sharp 434 00:21:33,084 --> 00:21:35,564 Speaker 1: until they're dying day and incredibly sharp. You know, you 435 00:21:35,604 --> 00:21:38,244 Speaker 1: could have very deep debates. But first of all, they're 436 00:21:38,244 --> 00:21:41,244 Speaker 1: in academia, right, They're not running for president, and the 437 00:21:41,284 --> 00:21:44,164 Speaker 1: fact that their exceptions doesn't mean that we should be 438 00:21:44,684 --> 00:21:47,884 Speaker 1: looking at the data that's in front of us and saying, oh, 439 00:21:47,924 --> 00:21:51,084 Speaker 1: but it's ageist, right, No, this this goes for both 440 00:21:51,124 --> 00:21:53,124 Speaker 1: of them, by the way, And you could see Trump, like, 441 00:21:53,204 --> 00:21:55,324 Speaker 1: let's just say that Trump did decline throughout the debate, 442 00:21:55,524 --> 00:21:57,884 Speaker 1: and you could see that someone at some point, you know, 443 00:21:57,924 --> 00:22:00,164 Speaker 1: I was looking at kind of Twitter feeds and I 444 00:22:00,164 --> 00:22:03,044 Speaker 1: don't remember who tweeted this, but someone said, oh, I 445 00:22:03,084 --> 00:22:05,524 Speaker 1: now see the difference between seventy eight and eighty one. 446 00:22:05,564 --> 00:22:07,924 Speaker 1: It's forty five minutes. And I thought that that was 447 00:22:08,524 --> 00:22:11,564 Speaker 1: that that was pretty pretty spot on, because Trump did 448 00:22:11,604 --> 00:22:13,964 Speaker 1: start rambling and kind of losing it a little bit 449 00:22:14,284 --> 00:22:16,324 Speaker 1: near the end. But people are going to so let's 450 00:22:16,324 --> 00:22:18,884 Speaker 1: talk about also how memory works from a psychology standpoint. 451 00:22:18,964 --> 00:22:21,484 Speaker 1: People are going to remember the beginning, right, people that 452 00:22:21,564 --> 00:22:24,804 Speaker 1: first impression. People are going to remember how they performed 453 00:22:24,804 --> 00:22:27,324 Speaker 1: when they turned on the television at the beginning, and 454 00:22:27,604 --> 00:22:30,004 Speaker 1: that was abysmal. That was the worst moment for Biden. 455 00:22:30,164 --> 00:22:32,404 Speaker 1: He had his kind of freezing moment. It was just 456 00:22:32,444 --> 00:22:34,244 Speaker 1: like at that point, that's game over. And a lot 457 00:22:34,244 --> 00:22:36,324 Speaker 1: of people turned off the debate at that point as 458 00:22:36,364 --> 00:22:38,284 Speaker 1: well because they were like, I don't want to watch this. 459 00:22:38,284 --> 00:22:41,124 Speaker 1: This is too depressing. I'm done, and that's that's not 460 00:22:41,284 --> 00:22:42,324 Speaker 1: where you want to be. 461 00:22:42,684 --> 00:22:44,764 Speaker 2: Yeah, no, I think I think people have his experience 462 00:22:44,764 --> 00:22:48,564 Speaker 2: where like, you know, after the first fifteen minutes and 463 00:22:48,724 --> 00:22:51,524 Speaker 2: began to see it reflected in like some market prices 464 00:22:51,564 --> 00:22:54,444 Speaker 2: like the price of bitcoin and prediction markets and things 465 00:22:54,524 --> 00:22:58,484 Speaker 2: like that pretty quickly shout out to prediction markets. But like, yeah, look, 466 00:22:58,484 --> 00:23:01,244 Speaker 2: I think a lot of people, uh, after the first 467 00:23:01,244 --> 00:23:03,964 Speaker 2: fifteen minutes, speaking for myself, kind of got lost in 468 00:23:04,004 --> 00:23:06,564 Speaker 2: a series of conversations and texts and things like that 469 00:23:06,644 --> 00:23:09,404 Speaker 2: and social media chatter and like because there was no 470 00:23:09,524 --> 00:23:12,964 Speaker 2: recovering from from that point, right, Like I mean now, 471 00:23:13,204 --> 00:23:15,764 Speaker 2: because it's like not this is why it's like people 472 00:23:15,804 --> 00:23:19,124 Speaker 2: are going to say, oh, well, Obama lost the first 473 00:23:19,124 --> 00:23:22,204 Speaker 2: debate in twenty twelve and then came back to win. 474 00:23:22,284 --> 00:23:23,724 Speaker 2: But there are a couple of things, you know, what 475 00:23:23,884 --> 00:23:27,284 Speaker 2: Obama lost the debate in a way that was much 476 00:23:27,284 --> 00:23:29,844 Speaker 2: more easy to write off to being a one off, 477 00:23:30,964 --> 00:23:34,884 Speaker 2: arrogant maybe performance. And second, Obama was ahead at the 478 00:23:34,924 --> 00:23:36,804 Speaker 2: time that he lost that debate and not behind, so 479 00:23:36,844 --> 00:23:41,844 Speaker 2: he could he could recover. You know, Biden has been 480 00:23:41,924 --> 00:23:45,044 Speaker 2: hidden in some ways from doing all the things that 481 00:23:45,084 --> 00:23:47,884 Speaker 2: a president normally would do. He did not give a 482 00:23:47,924 --> 00:23:51,724 Speaker 2: softball interview during the Super Bowl, for example, which every 483 00:23:51,724 --> 00:23:54,044 Speaker 2: president has. He've been prompted three times, and Biden did, 484 00:23:54,084 --> 00:23:57,124 Speaker 2: I think two years ago. So you know that wasn't 485 00:23:57,164 --> 00:24:00,644 Speaker 2: a good sign. He has reviews to give us a 486 00:24:00,724 --> 00:24:03,884 Speaker 2: down interview with the New York Times, which has beef 487 00:24:03,924 --> 00:24:06,804 Speaker 2: with Biden, but it is the most widely read publication 488 00:24:06,924 --> 00:24:10,604 Speaker 2: among influential Democrats and influential people in general. And so 489 00:24:10,644 --> 00:24:12,844 Speaker 2: why would you not want to let the New York 490 00:24:12,844 --> 00:24:16,564 Speaker 2: Times grill you? He did not, more understandably in this case, 491 00:24:17,204 --> 00:24:20,404 Speaker 2: did not want to debate Dean Phillips, Sir Mariam Williamson. 492 00:24:20,444 --> 00:24:22,764 Speaker 2: But like, look, if you had had a primary. People say, well, 493 00:24:22,764 --> 00:24:25,924 Speaker 2: if you'd had a primary, then Biden would have won 494 00:24:26,444 --> 00:24:29,564 Speaker 2: these more popular than like Devin Newsom or whatever. I'm 495 00:24:29,564 --> 00:24:30,844 Speaker 2: not sure he would have won if he had even 496 00:24:30,844 --> 00:24:32,724 Speaker 2: one of these debates, and the primaries must to have 497 00:24:32,724 --> 00:24:35,004 Speaker 2: like six or seven debates, right, the recent had a 498 00:24:35,044 --> 00:24:38,084 Speaker 2: primary would be to vet Biden and see is he 499 00:24:38,164 --> 00:24:41,204 Speaker 2: prepared for like the begures of a campaign. And this 500 00:24:41,244 --> 00:24:43,364 Speaker 2: is the first real tests and he just has to 501 00:24:43,364 --> 00:24:49,204 Speaker 2: be the worst general election performance in history in a debate. 502 00:24:49,324 --> 00:24:52,284 Speaker 2: It can't be closed. Absolutely, Michael Bluemberg have to have 503 00:24:52,324 --> 00:24:55,044 Speaker 2: Michael Bloomberg. We probably have Bloomberg fans in the Risky 504 00:24:55,044 --> 00:24:58,204 Speaker 2: Business audience. You know, interesting guy accomplished a lot. Bloomberg 505 00:24:58,364 --> 00:25:00,804 Speaker 2: was the next worst performance I've seen in a debate 506 00:25:00,884 --> 00:25:04,964 Speaker 2: in twenty twenty. And then there's a Marco Rubio thing 507 00:25:05,084 --> 00:25:08,204 Speaker 2: here or there. It's probably in third place. Right, but 508 00:25:08,364 --> 00:25:12,124 Speaker 2: like this was like again the fact that like if 509 00:25:12,164 --> 00:25:15,524 Speaker 2: I hit to pinpoint, because I'm hypersensitive to like calibrating 510 00:25:16,044 --> 00:25:18,804 Speaker 2: what everyone thinks about everything on like Twitter and social media, right, 511 00:25:19,524 --> 00:25:21,484 Speaker 2: if I had like circle, here are ten people that 512 00:25:21,524 --> 00:25:24,844 Speaker 2: would never ever say that Biden should step down. The 513 00:25:24,844 --> 00:25:27,484 Speaker 2: debates going badly. That's going really badly. Like any of 514 00:25:27,524 --> 00:25:29,844 Speaker 2: those ten people are like this sucks, he needs to 515 00:25:29,884 --> 00:25:31,524 Speaker 2: get out of there. I mean, it's it's you know, 516 00:25:31,564 --> 00:25:34,764 Speaker 2: the elected officials and like Nancy Pelosi's haven't said very 517 00:25:34,844 --> 00:25:38,284 Speaker 2: much yet, but like, I don't know the folks I 518 00:25:38,324 --> 00:25:38,724 Speaker 2: was watching the. 519 00:25:38,724 --> 00:25:40,044 Speaker 3: Debate with last night. 520 00:25:40,084 --> 00:25:42,764 Speaker 2: You know, we've talked about p doom on the show, 521 00:25:42,764 --> 00:25:45,764 Speaker 2: the probability of the world be destroyed by artificial intelligence. 522 00:25:48,924 --> 00:25:52,084 Speaker 2: He dropped the probability that Biden will drop out at 523 00:25:52,084 --> 00:25:53,844 Speaker 2: some point between now and the convention. 524 00:25:53,924 --> 00:25:55,564 Speaker 3: I guess technically now in November, the way those. 525 00:25:55,484 --> 00:25:59,924 Speaker 2: Markets resolve at Polymarket, before I began taping this, it 526 00:25:59,964 --> 00:26:04,804 Speaker 2: was around forty two percent or something like that. Now, look, 527 00:26:06,444 --> 00:26:10,804 Speaker 2: if Democratic delegates were free agents and they could do 528 00:26:10,844 --> 00:26:12,724 Speaker 2: what they wanted, I think for sure they would not 529 00:26:12,764 --> 00:26:16,404 Speaker 2: want Biden at this point. However, legally, Democratic delegates are 530 00:26:16,444 --> 00:26:21,124 Speaker 2: bound to Joe Biden. So if Joe Biden wants the nomination, 531 00:26:21,324 --> 00:26:23,404 Speaker 2: then I mean you could have some litigation to see 532 00:26:23,444 --> 00:26:27,244 Speaker 2: what really happens if he's like seems like he's disabled 533 00:26:27,524 --> 00:26:29,324 Speaker 2: or something. It was like a twenty fifth Amendment or something. 534 00:26:29,324 --> 00:26:32,724 Speaker 2: But like, you know, basically Joe Biden has to agree 535 00:26:33,404 --> 00:26:37,324 Speaker 2: to step down. And so there's kind of two levels, 536 00:26:37,364 --> 00:26:39,604 Speaker 2: like will there be some elder counsel of Democrats that 537 00:26:39,604 --> 00:26:41,764 Speaker 2: comes up to him and says, Joe, you gotta go, 538 00:26:42,764 --> 00:26:46,124 Speaker 2: and then will he listen to that? I think it's 539 00:26:46,484 --> 00:26:49,364 Speaker 2: more well, I'll maybe be careful. I think it's fifty 540 00:26:49,404 --> 00:26:51,924 Speaker 2: to fifty. I would buy p drop at forty two, 541 00:26:53,244 --> 00:26:55,044 Speaker 2: and it was like twenty five percent last night. I 542 00:26:55,044 --> 00:26:56,884 Speaker 2: was telling people I'd buy that too, because like, he 543 00:26:56,924 --> 00:27:00,044 Speaker 2: doesn't have any answer his argument, and the polls are 544 00:27:00,044 --> 00:27:01,924 Speaker 2: going to come out in a week or two, and 545 00:27:02,044 --> 00:27:03,764 Speaker 2: like maybe I'm wrong, maybe he'll only be behind. 546 00:27:03,764 --> 00:27:05,444 Speaker 3: Me's already behind to begin with. Right, He's not going 547 00:27:05,484 --> 00:27:06,044 Speaker 3: to gain the. 548 00:27:06,004 --> 00:27:09,804 Speaker 2: Polls, but the polls will come out. There's another freak out. 549 00:27:09,844 --> 00:27:12,804 Speaker 2: You know, if you watch what White House staffers do. 550 00:27:13,644 --> 00:27:16,084 Speaker 2: You know, if you begin to have some people leak 551 00:27:16,684 --> 00:27:20,844 Speaker 2: or go public, give little tell alls, you know, to 552 00:27:20,884 --> 00:27:23,924 Speaker 2: the New Yorker or whatever else, then that could be damaging. Potentially, 553 00:27:24,324 --> 00:27:28,484 Speaker 2: we don't know what like Jill Biden and the Obamas 554 00:27:28,524 --> 00:27:30,724 Speaker 2: will do in people like that. You could also have, 555 00:27:31,404 --> 00:27:35,284 Speaker 2: you know, Gavin Newsom and Kamala Harris, who are I 556 00:27:35,324 --> 00:27:37,884 Speaker 2: suppose the two most likely replacements actually in the reverse order. 557 00:27:37,884 --> 00:27:42,964 Speaker 2: I think Kamala is quite a bit like more likelier 558 00:27:42,964 --> 00:27:45,204 Speaker 2: than Gavin Newsom. But we'll see as someone by the way, 559 00:27:45,244 --> 00:27:48,844 Speaker 2: who think she's a very accomplished person but a terrible politician. 560 00:27:49,124 --> 00:27:50,844 Speaker 2: I'd still rather have her than Biden at this point. 561 00:27:50,844 --> 00:27:52,284 Speaker 2: A least she's a blank spite. At least she has 562 00:27:52,284 --> 00:27:55,204 Speaker 2: some upside. At least it's a fresh look, right, I 563 00:27:55,244 --> 00:27:59,324 Speaker 2: would rather have Kamala Harris and increase my variance instead 564 00:27:59,324 --> 00:28:03,284 Speaker 2: of have this seemingly losing not inevitable but like difficult path. 565 00:28:03,964 --> 00:28:06,324 Speaker 2: They are being good foot soldiers for Biden and saying, well, 566 00:28:06,364 --> 00:28:07,884 Speaker 2: you know when it's a bad day now, and then 567 00:28:08,004 --> 00:28:10,284 Speaker 2: I'm sure behind the scenes though, pop are like, be 568 00:28:10,324 --> 00:28:11,884 Speaker 2: you a Kamala Gavin at your moment? 569 00:28:11,884 --> 00:28:12,124 Speaker 3: Girl? 570 00:28:12,484 --> 00:28:15,324 Speaker 2: Oh, I'm sure, I'm sure because you're both it's just 571 00:28:15,404 --> 00:28:16,164 Speaker 2: politicians too. 572 00:28:29,924 --> 00:28:32,524 Speaker 1: Obviously, we both agree that at this point Joe Biden 573 00:28:32,564 --> 00:28:36,084 Speaker 1: should step down. That that you know, yesterday was kind 574 00:28:36,084 --> 00:28:39,924 Speaker 1: of the the nail in the coffin of our hopeful 575 00:28:40,004 --> 00:28:44,044 Speaker 1: optimism that maybe he actually could perform. And I think 576 00:28:44,084 --> 00:28:46,084 Speaker 1: it's it's it doesn't look like it's going to get better. 577 00:28:46,244 --> 00:28:48,164 Speaker 1: And by the way, as we both keep saying, he 578 00:28:48,244 --> 00:28:51,444 Speaker 1: might still win, right, and it's still incredibly risky, but 579 00:28:51,884 --> 00:28:54,964 Speaker 1: let's assume that there is a council of elders, Like, 580 00:28:55,044 --> 00:28:58,844 Speaker 1: let's just play out a hypothetical that he does decide. Okay, fine, 581 00:28:58,924 --> 00:29:01,564 Speaker 1: I will step down. What do we think kind of 582 00:29:01,764 --> 00:29:05,364 Speaker 1: is the best path forward? I would love to kind 583 00:29:05,404 --> 00:29:07,884 Speaker 1: of talk a little bit about kind of what those 584 00:29:07,924 --> 00:29:12,284 Speaker 1: scenarios look like, whether it's Kamala, whether it's Gavin Newsom. 585 00:29:12,484 --> 00:29:14,164 Speaker 1: Last night, you know, as I texted to you, you 586 00:29:14,164 --> 00:29:18,084 Speaker 1: know Mayor Pete question mark because I you know, I've 587 00:29:18,084 --> 00:29:21,004 Speaker 1: seen Mayor Pete debate and he would have. Now he 588 00:29:21,084 --> 00:29:23,564 Speaker 1: is a debater. He is someone who would have wiped 589 00:29:23,604 --> 00:29:26,364 Speaker 1: the floor with Trump in a setting like that. You know, 590 00:29:26,444 --> 00:29:29,964 Speaker 1: there are names of people who have followings, but who 591 00:29:30,044 --> 00:29:33,764 Speaker 1: obviously have issues of their own. So what do we think, like, 592 00:29:34,444 --> 00:29:38,324 Speaker 1: is what's a viable strategy going forward? Like, let's imagine 593 00:29:38,324 --> 00:29:41,524 Speaker 1: that you and I get to advise the Democrats. Wouldn't 594 00:29:41,524 --> 00:29:42,084 Speaker 1: that be awesome? 595 00:29:42,244 --> 00:29:46,124 Speaker 3: What would he suggest? Okay? 596 00:29:46,684 --> 00:29:49,404 Speaker 2: What I would say is that I want some sort 597 00:29:49,444 --> 00:29:54,124 Speaker 2: of open audition process in which there's some element of 598 00:29:54,164 --> 00:29:59,004 Speaker 2: public feedback. So the primaries have happened, Firstly, you have 599 00:30:00,204 --> 00:30:02,844 Speaker 2: some time to work with The Democratic Convention begins in 600 00:30:03,044 --> 00:30:03,684 Speaker 2: mid August. 601 00:30:04,644 --> 00:30:09,284 Speaker 3: Yeah, so you have some time to work with. Look, 602 00:30:09,724 --> 00:30:10,564 Speaker 3: in the ideal. 603 00:30:10,284 --> 00:30:14,684 Speaker 2: World, I would say that you should do some fact 604 00:30:14,724 --> 00:30:17,004 Speaker 2: finding first in terms of like how many people are 605 00:30:17,044 --> 00:30:21,124 Speaker 2: interested in this potentially right, and then maybe like literally 606 00:30:21,164 --> 00:30:24,164 Speaker 2: have a debate. You can also, by the way the 607 00:30:24,204 --> 00:30:28,484 Speaker 2: primaries have happened, parties can schedule their own elections, which 608 00:30:28,484 --> 00:30:31,244 Speaker 2: are called caucuses. They have to pay for it, but 609 00:30:31,364 --> 00:30:34,764 Speaker 2: Democrats could say, let's schedule let's pick six states that 610 00:30:34,804 --> 00:30:38,604 Speaker 2: are demographically representative cross section of the US or the 611 00:30:38,644 --> 00:30:41,644 Speaker 2: Democratic Party at least, right, have this debate and then 612 00:30:41,684 --> 00:30:47,124 Speaker 2: have a non binding party caucus. Party one caucus in 613 00:30:47,124 --> 00:30:48,524 Speaker 2: these six states will pay for it. We'll get some 614 00:30:48,604 --> 00:30:50,444 Speaker 2: rich guys to pay for it, right, and that will 615 00:30:50,444 --> 00:30:54,284 Speaker 2: help inform super delegates for what the public preference might 616 00:30:54,324 --> 00:30:58,284 Speaker 2: be and at the public references and the US then 617 00:30:58,364 --> 00:31:01,484 Speaker 2: maybe you default to Kamala out of some sense of 618 00:31:01,524 --> 00:31:04,244 Speaker 2: shiating the VP obviously, but like, I don't look, if 619 00:31:04,244 --> 00:31:08,044 Speaker 2: you're going to take the drastic step of replacing the president, 620 00:31:08,604 --> 00:31:11,124 Speaker 2: I don't think you want to tiptoe around the fact 621 00:31:11,164 --> 00:31:15,644 Speaker 2: that Kamala Harris has also unpopular, and like, what's the point, right, 622 00:31:15,604 --> 00:31:19,004 Speaker 2: if you're going to replace the president. You know, I 623 00:31:19,044 --> 00:31:21,884 Speaker 2: think she should have to fight for it as she 624 00:31:21,924 --> 00:31:23,684 Speaker 2: would have if Biden has said what you should have 625 00:31:23,724 --> 00:31:25,684 Speaker 2: done a year and a half ago, I'm not gonna 626 00:31:25,724 --> 00:31:28,044 Speaker 2: run for a second term, no one would have handed 627 00:31:28,044 --> 00:31:30,004 Speaker 2: the nomination to Kamala Harris. You would have had to 628 00:31:30,044 --> 00:31:33,044 Speaker 2: earn it, and she might have earned it. Candidate's get 629 00:31:33,044 --> 00:31:36,884 Speaker 2: better sometimes their second run for the White House, and 630 00:31:36,924 --> 00:31:39,004 Speaker 2: there are attacks on her qualifications, and I think sometimes 631 00:31:39,044 --> 00:31:41,964 Speaker 2: are unfair, But like I think you have to like 632 00:31:42,404 --> 00:31:46,844 Speaker 2: try to have some element of that process. And look, 633 00:31:47,644 --> 00:31:49,564 Speaker 2: you're almost free because like I don't think any of 634 00:31:49,564 --> 00:31:51,724 Speaker 2: this is about fifty percent, right, I mean it's a 635 00:31:51,764 --> 00:31:54,284 Speaker 2: matter of like are you getting cashing in your forty 636 00:31:54,284 --> 00:31:55,924 Speaker 2: percent equity instead of twenty percent? 637 00:31:56,004 --> 00:31:57,644 Speaker 3: Or I'm not sure where I'm getting these estimates. They're 638 00:31:57,644 --> 00:31:58,404 Speaker 3: off the cuff. But like. 639 00:31:59,884 --> 00:32:01,444 Speaker 2: So in some ways you can afford to have a 640 00:32:01,644 --> 00:32:04,964 Speaker 2: riskier process almost and like playing it too safe. 641 00:32:04,964 --> 00:32:07,044 Speaker 3: But like, look, the sooner and the more. 642 00:32:07,044 --> 00:32:11,124 Speaker 2: Organized a Biden dropout would be than then the better 643 00:32:11,204 --> 00:32:14,444 Speaker 2: it is, right if it's the case that like, look, 644 00:32:14,444 --> 00:32:19,124 Speaker 2: there's one path that looks something like the polls are bad, 645 00:32:19,164 --> 00:32:22,804 Speaker 2: but not quite as bad as they're as we think 646 00:32:22,884 --> 00:32:25,404 Speaker 2: they're gonna be, and then Biden holds on and then 647 00:32:25,204 --> 00:32:29,364 Speaker 2: in early August there's some disastrous press conference and then 648 00:32:29,364 --> 00:32:32,364 Speaker 2: it's truly untenable, right and then it kind of has 649 00:32:32,404 --> 00:32:36,364 Speaker 2: to be chaos at the convention. Right right now, there 650 00:32:36,484 --> 00:32:39,364 Speaker 2: is just enough time to get some sense or like 651 00:32:39,724 --> 00:32:42,524 Speaker 2: even just in polls and they'll remember, you know, someone 652 00:32:42,604 --> 00:32:45,684 Speaker 2: like a Kamala Harris is much better known than like 653 00:32:45,684 --> 00:32:48,924 Speaker 2: a Gritch and Whitmer or something like that. But like 654 00:32:49,044 --> 00:32:54,164 Speaker 2: some type of open audition process, I think, yeah. 655 00:32:54,004 --> 00:32:57,324 Speaker 1: I mean that's I think an open audition process sounds 656 00:32:57,364 --> 00:33:01,204 Speaker 1: good if provided it happens right now, because I think 657 00:33:01,244 --> 00:33:04,924 Speaker 1: that what we want to avoid is like a total 658 00:33:04,964 --> 00:33:08,524 Speaker 1: shit show in August right where there is no unified 659 00:33:09,564 --> 00:33:12,484 Speaker 1: consensus about who should be the nominee. Because I do 660 00:33:12,524 --> 00:33:15,124 Speaker 1: think that at this point, because it's so late in 661 00:33:15,164 --> 00:33:19,684 Speaker 1: the game and people are fragmented and this is an unprecedented, 662 00:33:19,804 --> 00:33:23,444 Speaker 1: incredibly risky move, there does need to be a united 663 00:33:23,484 --> 00:33:26,644 Speaker 1: front and people do need to rally around one candidate 664 00:33:26,684 --> 00:33:31,004 Speaker 1: as kind of the choice and the person who's going 665 00:33:31,044 --> 00:33:34,164 Speaker 1: to get kind of the support and who's going to 666 00:33:34,164 --> 00:33:36,964 Speaker 1: be able to represent well. So I do think that 667 00:33:36,964 --> 00:33:40,484 Speaker 1: this needs to happen sooner rather than later. Otherwise it's 668 00:33:40,684 --> 00:33:42,684 Speaker 1: I think it might end up being a risk that 669 00:33:42,804 --> 00:33:46,564 Speaker 1: just is sure. It can't be worse than buy it, 670 00:33:46,844 --> 00:33:50,004 Speaker 1: But the chances of winning are going to be lower 671 00:33:50,524 --> 00:33:54,004 Speaker 1: because that you know, any cracks kind of in that 672 00:33:54,084 --> 00:33:57,484 Speaker 1: front are going to be exploited. We've seen that, you know, 673 00:33:57,524 --> 00:34:00,604 Speaker 1: the Republican Party is very good at exploiting cracks. And 674 00:34:00,724 --> 00:34:04,404 Speaker 1: there are a lot of undecided voters who look at 675 00:34:04,404 --> 00:34:08,244 Speaker 1: something like the debate yesterday and don't really kind of 676 00:34:08,564 --> 00:34:10,924 Speaker 1: don't know that Trump is actually lying his face off 677 00:34:11,044 --> 00:34:13,844 Speaker 1: in every single sentence and look at these two people 678 00:34:13,844 --> 00:34:15,444 Speaker 1: and say, you know what, I'd rather have the guy 679 00:34:15,484 --> 00:34:18,284 Speaker 1: on my on the left than the guy on the right, 680 00:34:19,164 --> 00:34:21,844 Speaker 1: because you know, he's just making more sense to me. 681 00:34:22,964 --> 00:34:25,724 Speaker 1: And what is it that he said about immigrants, you know, 682 00:34:25,764 --> 00:34:28,644 Speaker 1: taking my jobs and killing people. I don't want that, right, Like, 683 00:34:29,364 --> 00:34:30,924 Speaker 1: there are a lot of people who aren't going to 684 00:34:31,604 --> 00:34:34,084 Speaker 1: do that secondary fact checking, So you need someone to 685 00:34:34,124 --> 00:34:36,404 Speaker 1: do it who's able to kind of do it in 686 00:34:36,444 --> 00:34:41,964 Speaker 1: real time, someone who is able to to rebuff and 687 00:34:42,524 --> 00:34:45,564 Speaker 1: actually kind of show Trump for what he is. The 688 00:34:45,644 --> 00:34:48,644 Speaker 1: other kind of the other thing in my mind, though, 689 00:34:49,124 --> 00:34:53,324 Speaker 1: is you know, last time Trump won, he ran against 690 00:34:53,364 --> 00:34:57,284 Speaker 1: Hillary Clinton, and one of the reasons that he was 691 00:34:57,324 --> 00:35:00,724 Speaker 1: able to win is because she was very qualified, but 692 00:35:00,924 --> 00:35:04,044 Speaker 1: unpopular and didn't run a good campaign. And I think 693 00:35:04,044 --> 00:35:06,244 Speaker 1: a lot of people didn't want to vote for a female, 694 00:35:06,524 --> 00:35:10,964 Speaker 1: like as a female, you know, I I was definitely 695 00:35:11,044 --> 00:35:14,244 Speaker 1: tuned into that. So I think there is kind of 696 00:35:14,284 --> 00:35:18,004 Speaker 1: a it's a little bit risky to put a Kamala 697 00:35:18,044 --> 00:35:21,644 Speaker 1: Harris or Aggretchen in there, because you know, once again 698 00:35:21,644 --> 00:35:24,364 Speaker 1: he'll be running against a woman, and I don't know 699 00:35:24,444 --> 00:35:27,564 Speaker 1: if that's the best candidate to defeat Donald Trump. 700 00:35:28,964 --> 00:35:32,964 Speaker 2: I'm not sure it's Gavin Newsom either, who is not 701 00:35:33,044 --> 00:35:35,044 Speaker 2: terribly popular himself and will have a lot of problems 702 00:35:35,044 --> 00:35:38,444 Speaker 2: associated with the state of California, which is losing population 703 00:35:38,764 --> 00:35:40,644 Speaker 2: and all those things. 704 00:35:40,724 --> 00:35:42,484 Speaker 3: Right, I mean, he you know, looks good in a suit, 705 00:35:42,884 --> 00:35:45,284 Speaker 3: I suppose you know. 706 00:35:45,404 --> 00:35:49,884 Speaker 2: Look, Democrats actually have I think a reasonably talented bench 707 00:35:50,364 --> 00:35:52,564 Speaker 2: of candidates. They did very well in both the twenty 708 00:35:52,604 --> 00:35:54,564 Speaker 2: eighteen and twenty twenty two midterms, which is kind of 709 00:35:54,564 --> 00:35:58,524 Speaker 2: where you get your bench from. I mean, someone more 710 00:35:58,604 --> 00:36:01,604 Speaker 2: unknown like Josh Shapiro in Pennsylvania, for example, could be 711 00:36:01,644 --> 00:36:03,564 Speaker 2: potentially a compelling candidate. 712 00:36:04,964 --> 00:36:08,484 Speaker 3: JB. Pritzker in Illinois, the governor of Illinois is. 713 00:36:08,484 --> 00:36:11,164 Speaker 2: This big guy kind of when Trump got convicted, kind 714 00:36:11,164 --> 00:36:13,404 Speaker 2: of gave it a very old school Chicago style like 715 00:36:13,684 --> 00:36:15,684 Speaker 2: take care of Trump that I think could play well 716 00:36:16,124 --> 00:36:17,044 Speaker 2: against Trump's bluster. 717 00:36:17,124 --> 00:36:19,524 Speaker 3: Because the thing is, like Trump is not that popular. 718 00:36:19,124 --> 00:36:22,444 Speaker 2: Either, because popular has actually improved a little bit, and 719 00:36:22,564 --> 00:36:24,364 Speaker 2: in some ways, if we're being honest, I think he's 720 00:36:24,404 --> 00:36:30,684 Speaker 2: run a better campaign compared to four years ago and 721 00:36:30,764 --> 00:36:33,124 Speaker 2: gave a better debate performance than the five previous ones 722 00:36:33,124 --> 00:36:36,524 Speaker 2: he's had against Biden or Clinton. So I don't think 723 00:36:36,524 --> 00:36:38,524 Speaker 2: Trump is easy to defeat. But there have been voters 724 00:36:38,524 --> 00:36:41,324 Speaker 2: clamoring for a long time that like, can you please 725 00:36:41,364 --> 00:36:42,244 Speaker 2: not now many of these. 726 00:36:42,124 --> 00:36:43,524 Speaker 3: Fucking two people again? 727 00:36:43,604 --> 00:36:46,244 Speaker 2: In a country of three hundred and thirty one million people, 728 00:36:46,284 --> 00:36:48,404 Speaker 2: can you please that how many these two guys is 729 00:36:48,444 --> 00:36:50,884 Speaker 2: like really the best you have to offer? And there 730 00:36:50,924 --> 00:36:53,724 Speaker 2: is some upside chance that like a newer kind of 731 00:36:53,764 --> 00:36:57,084 Speaker 2: freshered Democrat. I mean, I don't know, right, but like 732 00:36:57,244 --> 00:36:59,324 Speaker 2: I mean the reason why I'm like, I don't know 733 00:36:59,364 --> 00:37:01,484 Speaker 2: that Democratic Party elders are going to be able to 734 00:37:01,524 --> 00:37:05,804 Speaker 2: agree on some consensus choice. If if Kamala Harris were 735 00:37:05,804 --> 00:37:10,084 Speaker 2: a little bit more popular and people are more confident 736 00:37:10,084 --> 00:37:11,884 Speaker 2: in her quote unquote electability than. 737 00:37:12,404 --> 00:37:14,444 Speaker 3: She would be the obvious choice, the obvious choice. If 738 00:37:14,444 --> 00:37:15,484 Speaker 3: she had the obvious choice. 739 00:37:15,284 --> 00:37:17,524 Speaker 2: I'm not sure Biden would have run in the first 740 00:37:17,524 --> 00:37:20,764 Speaker 2: place for her second term. So I don't think there's 741 00:37:20,764 --> 00:37:23,604 Speaker 2: an obvious choice, and therefore to have some public feedback 742 00:37:24,124 --> 00:37:25,964 Speaker 2: as a coordination mechanism. 743 00:37:26,084 --> 00:37:27,964 Speaker 3: A one more point, by the way, that is important. 744 00:37:29,764 --> 00:37:36,324 Speaker 2: The delegates at the convention are delegates chosen by Joe Biden, Right, 745 00:37:36,364 --> 00:37:38,124 Speaker 2: you actually picking her that to say, I want Maria 746 00:37:38,124 --> 00:37:39,684 Speaker 2: and Nate to be my delegates if I win. 747 00:37:40,284 --> 00:37:42,324 Speaker 3: This nominating contest in New Jersey or whatever. 748 00:37:43,804 --> 00:37:46,724 Speaker 2: Therefore, they are loyal to what Biden would do. But 749 00:37:46,804 --> 00:37:52,644 Speaker 2: it also means are probably more moderate, centrist, demo pragmatic Democrats. 750 00:37:52,724 --> 00:37:52,884 Speaker 3: Right. 751 00:37:53,964 --> 00:37:56,364 Speaker 2: That makes things a little easier because there's like not 752 00:37:57,244 --> 00:38:01,764 Speaker 2: an appreciable like left wing faction among the super delegates, 753 00:38:02,884 --> 00:38:06,564 Speaker 2: and that might increase the ease relatively speaking of the 754 00:38:06,564 --> 00:38:10,964 Speaker 2: coordination problem. 755 00:38:09,204 --> 00:38:12,644 Speaker 1: Well, I think that's a that's a rare hopeful point 756 00:38:12,684 --> 00:38:16,444 Speaker 1: in today's podcast, which has not been very hopeful. You know, 757 00:38:16,524 --> 00:38:18,524 Speaker 1: I wish that you and I would be able to 758 00:38:18,684 --> 00:38:21,404 Speaker 1: come up with a nice little roadmap and be like, okay, done, 759 00:38:21,484 --> 00:38:24,284 Speaker 1: you know, forty minutes and we've saved democracy. Good job 760 00:38:24,284 --> 00:38:27,764 Speaker 1: of us. But you know, it's obviously not that easy. 761 00:38:27,804 --> 00:38:33,244 Speaker 1: This is an incredibly complicated situation. And I feel slight. 762 00:38:33,444 --> 00:38:35,364 Speaker 1: Actually no, I was about to say I feel slightly 763 00:38:35,404 --> 00:38:38,204 Speaker 1: better after talking to but that's not actually true. I 764 00:38:38,204 --> 00:38:40,724 Speaker 1: feel just as despondent as I did before. But I'm 765 00:38:40,764 --> 00:38:43,084 Speaker 1: really glad that we had a chance to talk this 766 00:38:43,164 --> 00:38:45,044 Speaker 1: through and to talk through some of kind of the 767 00:38:45,484 --> 00:38:48,324 Speaker 1: big issues, the big psychological issues, and there are obviously 768 00:38:48,364 --> 00:38:51,764 Speaker 1: psychological issues for the voters too in terms of swapping 769 00:38:51,764 --> 00:38:55,484 Speaker 1: out Biden right now. So I think that that's you know, 770 00:38:55,524 --> 00:38:57,524 Speaker 1: these are all things that we'll need to revisit, and 771 00:38:57,564 --> 00:39:00,564 Speaker 1: I'm really interesting. I'm really interested to see kind of 772 00:39:00,604 --> 00:39:02,324 Speaker 1: what the actual response is going to be in the 773 00:39:02,364 --> 00:39:06,524 Speaker 1: next few weeks. I would say pe drop is actually 774 00:39:06,564 --> 00:39:09,724 Speaker 1: probably lower than the prediction markets have them right now now, 775 00:39:10,564 --> 00:39:16,004 Speaker 1: because you know, ego, ego, ego, ego, ego, and you know, 776 00:39:16,124 --> 00:39:20,684 Speaker 1: Biden clearly has has a lot of it, and he 777 00:39:20,724 --> 00:39:24,484 Speaker 1: doesn't want to drop out, and he's surrounded by people 778 00:39:24,484 --> 00:39:26,804 Speaker 1: who've been shielding him and who've been saying, you did 779 00:39:26,884 --> 00:39:28,924 Speaker 1: such a great job last night. You know, good job. 780 00:39:29,404 --> 00:39:30,644 Speaker 1: How Trump didn't say, I. 781 00:39:30,604 --> 00:39:31,604 Speaker 3: Mean, it's an emperors. 782 00:39:31,804 --> 00:39:33,724 Speaker 2: I mean the reason why like parables like the Emperor 783 00:39:33,764 --> 00:39:36,924 Speaker 2: has no clothes exists is because the people actually it's. 784 00:39:36,724 --> 00:39:39,844 Speaker 1: True, O good exactly. So we're in the middle of 785 00:39:39,884 --> 00:39:42,764 Speaker 1: the Emperor has no clothes, and I really hope that 786 00:39:42,764 --> 00:39:47,044 Speaker 1: the emperor realizes he's naked and is willing to take 787 00:39:47,044 --> 00:39:49,444 Speaker 1: a seat and let someone else come out. I don't 788 00:39:49,444 --> 00:39:51,564 Speaker 1: know if that's if that will happen, though. What's your 789 00:39:51,604 --> 00:39:53,684 Speaker 1: personal p drop? Is it higher or lower than the 790 00:39:53,684 --> 00:39:55,004 Speaker 1: prediction markets have it right now? 791 00:39:55,284 --> 00:39:57,964 Speaker 2: A little higher, I think because of the degree of 792 00:39:58,444 --> 00:40:03,724 Speaker 2: unanymity among the kind of political and pundit class. And 793 00:40:03,884 --> 00:40:09,004 Speaker 2: look in twenty twenty, the kind of democratic elites came 794 00:40:09,044 --> 00:40:11,444 Speaker 2: together in this messy nomination process where it looked like 795 00:40:11,484 --> 00:40:14,524 Speaker 2: Bernie Sanders might win, and like literally all got together 796 00:40:14,564 --> 00:40:16,844 Speaker 2: and they all flew somewhere like Pete boodhag Edge and 797 00:40:17,444 --> 00:40:21,604 Speaker 2: Amy Klobishard dropped out and endorsed Biden right and James 798 00:40:21,644 --> 00:40:26,124 Speaker 2: Climber and the very influential congressman who is maybe the 799 00:40:26,124 --> 00:40:29,764 Speaker 2: most admired black Democrat endorsed Biden, and he kind of 800 00:40:30,044 --> 00:40:32,484 Speaker 2: zoomed from kind of this muddle and like second place 801 00:40:32,524 --> 00:40:35,524 Speaker 2: to winning actually very easily on South Carolina and on 802 00:40:35,604 --> 00:40:38,764 Speaker 2: Super Tuesday. So it is a group that has someone 803 00:40:38,804 --> 00:40:42,604 Speaker 2: shown itself capable of making adult kind of group decisions. 804 00:40:42,644 --> 00:40:45,924 Speaker 2: And again, the problem is that, like you can hit 805 00:40:46,004 --> 00:40:50,204 Speaker 2: this story about Biden's age every single day, However many 806 00:40:50,284 --> 00:40:53,164 Speaker 2: days are left one hundred and something whatever in the campaign. 807 00:40:53,684 --> 00:40:55,604 Speaker 3: Because first of all, he's behind in most of these poles. 808 00:40:55,684 --> 00:40:57,804 Speaker 2: He's not going to like pull ahead after this at least, right, 809 00:40:58,124 --> 00:41:00,364 Speaker 2: so every time a poll comes out, you can be like, Okay, 810 00:41:00,804 --> 00:41:02,964 Speaker 2: the New New York Times Sienna pole has Biden four 811 00:41:03,044 --> 00:41:05,884 Speaker 2: points down in Pennsylvania. Must win the state. You know, 812 00:41:06,124 --> 00:41:09,764 Speaker 2: that seems really bad. Every time Biden has a public 813 00:41:09,804 --> 00:41:13,564 Speaker 2: speaking appearance where it goes mediocre at best and disastrous 814 00:41:13,604 --> 00:41:15,684 Speaker 2: at worse, it's going to be a point of debate. 815 00:41:15,724 --> 00:41:17,604 Speaker 2: And believe me, if Democrats in the media forget to 816 00:41:17,604 --> 00:41:19,884 Speaker 2: talk about it, the Republican attack ads are going to 817 00:41:19,884 --> 00:41:22,364 Speaker 2: be devastating. And you know, just the before and after 818 00:41:22,404 --> 00:41:26,444 Speaker 2: clips of Biden then versus Biden now, and there's a 819 00:41:26,804 --> 00:41:32,044 Speaker 2: cascading effects I think, and you know there will be. 820 00:41:32,084 --> 00:41:34,804 Speaker 2: There's also, by the way, they're also opportunistic effects. 821 00:41:34,884 --> 00:41:35,644 Speaker 3: I don't think that. 822 00:41:37,364 --> 00:41:40,124 Speaker 2: I don't think that Gavin Newsom or Gretchen Whitmer or 823 00:41:40,164 --> 00:41:43,844 Speaker 2: whoever else Rafael we're not would face the same degree 824 00:41:43,844 --> 00:41:47,284 Speaker 2: of stigma if they said, if needed, I will serve, right, 825 00:41:47,324 --> 00:41:49,564 Speaker 2: I mean, they'd be subtle about it and koya about it. Newson, 826 00:41:49,604 --> 00:41:51,804 Speaker 2: by the way, was not very coy about his intentions 827 00:41:51,804 --> 00:41:55,004 Speaker 2: to potentially challenge Biden two years ago. But like, there 828 00:41:55,004 --> 00:41:57,484 Speaker 2: are opportunists who could say that, like I am willing 829 00:41:57,524 --> 00:42:00,444 Speaker 2: to serve, or I mean, you know, someone could say 830 00:42:00,484 --> 00:42:02,764 Speaker 2: that they want to vote registers a third party. That 831 00:42:02,764 --> 00:42:06,324 Speaker 2: probably wouldn't work because it's too late to collect enough 832 00:42:06,324 --> 00:42:11,724 Speaker 2: signatures in certain states. But yeah, if you need it to, 833 00:42:11,764 --> 00:42:15,364 Speaker 2: you could kind of poison pill Biden, right, You could 834 00:42:15,404 --> 00:42:18,564 Speaker 2: like threaten to leak unflattering things that would ensure that 835 00:42:18,644 --> 00:42:21,964 Speaker 2: he would lose and so therefore he's forced to resign 836 00:42:23,044 --> 00:42:23,884 Speaker 2: and Biden. 837 00:42:23,564 --> 00:42:24,764 Speaker 1: That's another risky strategy. 838 00:42:24,804 --> 00:42:25,484 Speaker 3: Well, look, I. 839 00:42:25,404 --> 00:42:28,804 Speaker 2: Mean, you know it's what's the burning of bridges strategy. 840 00:42:29,364 --> 00:42:32,004 Speaker 2: But like, I think the degree of elite consensus and 841 00:42:32,044 --> 00:42:34,724 Speaker 2: Democrats are the party of elites at least by one 842 00:42:34,764 --> 00:42:37,924 Speaker 2: definition of the term, is so strong and there are 843 00:42:38,164 --> 00:42:41,404 Speaker 2: not very many ways to undo that because Biden just 844 00:42:41,964 --> 00:42:44,964 Speaker 2: isn't capable of it, right, he isn't capable of it. Well, 845 00:42:44,964 --> 00:42:47,124 Speaker 2: scheduling in a debate next week, how about that? 846 00:42:47,204 --> 00:42:47,444 Speaker 3: Okay? 847 00:42:47,564 --> 00:42:49,764 Speaker 1: I yeah, mostly agree, and. 848 00:42:49,724 --> 00:42:51,844 Speaker 3: I have another debate. We'll see how you do. 849 00:42:51,924 --> 00:42:55,324 Speaker 2: Maybe that would elay nerves, but like you're not gonna 850 00:42:55,364 --> 00:42:58,324 Speaker 2: let people wait until September to have another debate. 851 00:42:58,404 --> 00:43:00,924 Speaker 1: Yeah. And by the way, even if we have another 852 00:43:00,964 --> 00:43:03,644 Speaker 1: debate tomorrow and he does much better, that's still not 853 00:43:03,684 --> 00:43:05,764 Speaker 1: going to assuage my fear because, as I said, I 854 00:43:05,804 --> 00:43:08,924 Speaker 1: need someone who consistently can perform under pressure and under 855 00:43:08,924 --> 00:43:12,164 Speaker 1: the lights. That's not consistency, that's good days and bad days. 856 00:43:12,164 --> 00:43:14,044 Speaker 1: What if there's what if we're on a bad day 857 00:43:14,044 --> 00:43:16,804 Speaker 1: when there's a nuclear strike? Right, Like, we cannot afford 858 00:43:16,844 --> 00:43:19,684 Speaker 1: that in a president. So you know, I think our 859 00:43:19,684 --> 00:43:22,404 Speaker 1: headline for today's podcast is we thought we were fucked, 860 00:43:22,484 --> 00:43:25,804 Speaker 1: and we're kind of fucked. But you know, let's let's 861 00:43:25,804 --> 00:43:28,724 Speaker 1: tune in in a few weeks and see where we 862 00:43:28,764 --> 00:43:31,364 Speaker 1: are and see what happens. And I hope that, you know, 863 00:43:31,404 --> 00:43:34,724 Speaker 1: people listening to this and listening to the unanimity of 864 00:43:34,804 --> 00:43:40,084 Speaker 1: voices will actually finally do something about it, and we'll 865 00:43:40,084 --> 00:43:42,404 Speaker 1: be in a better situation, or at least a situation 866 00:43:42,604 --> 00:43:47,364 Speaker 1: where variance is on our side, where when we when 867 00:43:47,444 --> 00:43:49,084 Speaker 1: we next revisit this topic. 868 00:43:49,164 --> 00:43:50,764 Speaker 2: Also, you know, again, I'm trying to come at this 869 00:43:50,804 --> 00:43:53,564 Speaker 2: from a little bit more of a nonpartisan lens. Although 870 00:43:53,564 --> 00:43:55,444 Speaker 2: I've said I don't think Trump would make a good 871 00:43:55,484 --> 00:43:59,124 Speaker 2: leader and I don't want them to become president again, America, 872 00:43:59,204 --> 00:44:01,564 Speaker 2: stop fucking voting for these really fucking old guys, right, 873 00:44:02,044 --> 00:44:04,844 Speaker 2: You should age discriminate more. Do not fucking vote for 874 00:44:04,884 --> 00:44:06,964 Speaker 2: people who are seventy five years or older to be 875 00:44:07,004 --> 00:44:09,684 Speaker 2: the fucking president of the United States, the hardest job 876 00:44:09,684 --> 00:44:12,404 Speaker 2: in the world. I would propose a constitutional amendment to 877 00:44:12,444 --> 00:44:14,444 Speaker 2: say you cannot begin your presidential term. 878 00:44:14,684 --> 00:44:16,244 Speaker 3: Past the age of seventy five. 879 00:44:16,444 --> 00:44:18,644 Speaker 2: In the absence of that, I'm pledging Maria that I 880 00:44:18,724 --> 00:44:21,484 Speaker 2: will never vote for somebody age seventy five or older 881 00:44:21,884 --> 00:44:22,804 Speaker 2: again for president. 882 00:44:22,884 --> 00:44:24,244 Speaker 3: I'm pledging that good. 883 00:44:24,764 --> 00:44:27,204 Speaker 1: I will pledge that with you, and I've actually often 884 00:44:27,244 --> 00:44:30,204 Speaker 1: thought that since we have a younger limit on the presidency, 885 00:44:30,244 --> 00:44:32,444 Speaker 1: we should have an older limit as well, So Nate 886 00:44:32,644 --> 00:44:35,204 Speaker 1: we can do the Nate Silver and Maria Kannakova and 887 00:44:35,244 --> 00:44:38,844 Speaker 1: men meant to make sure this doesn't happen again. I 888 00:44:38,844 --> 00:44:39,964 Speaker 1: think that's a great call. 889 00:44:39,804 --> 00:44:40,564 Speaker 3: To action for. 890 00:44:42,364 --> 00:44:44,764 Speaker 1: The end of our show today. Thanks for joining me 891 00:44:44,804 --> 00:44:48,084 Speaker 1: on this emergency pod. I appreciate your time in this 892 00:44:48,404 --> 00:44:49,284 Speaker 1: emergency time. 893 00:44:49,444 --> 00:44:50,524 Speaker 3: Thanks Maria, and for listeners. 894 00:44:50,564 --> 00:44:52,924 Speaker 2: Next, people have an interview that we have pre recorded 895 00:44:52,964 --> 00:44:57,244 Speaker 2: with a special guest, unless there is more emergency news, 896 00:44:57,284 --> 00:44:58,604 Speaker 2: which everier. 897 00:44:58,244 --> 00:45:00,644 Speaker 1: One might be yes, in which case you'll get the 898 00:45:00,644 --> 00:45:12,364 Speaker 1: two of us again. All right, thanks for listening. Risky 899 00:45:12,404 --> 00:45:15,084 Speaker 1: Business is hosted by Me, Maria Kannakova. 900 00:45:14,724 --> 00:45:15,724 Speaker 3: And Me Made Silver. 901 00:45:16,044 --> 00:45:19,724 Speaker 1: The show is a co production of Pushkin Industries and iHeartMedia. 902 00:45:20,364 --> 00:45:24,244 Speaker 1: This episode was produced by Isabelle Carter. Our associate producer 903 00:45:24,324 --> 00:45:27,884 Speaker 1: is Gabriel Hunter Chang. Our executive producer is Jacob Goldstein. 904 00:45:28,644 --> 00:45:31,004 Speaker 2: And if you want to listen to an ad free version, 905 00:45:31,044 --> 00:45:32,364 Speaker 2: sign up for Pushkin Plus. 906 00:45:32,364 --> 00:45:34,724 Speaker 3: For six thirty nine a month you get access to 907 00:45:34,804 --> 00:45:36,964 Speaker 3: adre listening. Thanks for tuning in.