In this episode of Moment of Zen, Erik, Antonio, as well as two friends of the podcast who prefer to stay anonymous, discuss the disastrous Biden/Trump debate and what could happen after, and explore the state of U.S. politics by scrutinizing Joe Biden's controversial debate performance and its implications on his presidency, as well as reactions from the media and its impact on U.S. foreign relations.

We’re publishing this conversation across Moment of Zen and Upstream since the themes are highly relevant to both shows.

? Apply to join over 400 founders and Execs in the Turpentine Network: https://hmplogxqz0y.typeform.com/to/JCkphVqj

--

RECOMMENDED PODCAST: Upstream with Erik Torenberg
Upstream is where host Erik Torenberg goes deeper with the world's most interesting thinkers to map the constellation of ideas that matter across tech, culture, and politics.
Subscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7wHYcVRmMP6rWQL9lVQJlL
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/upstream-with-erik-torenberg/id1678893467

--

SPONSORS: COMMANDBAR | NETSUITE | BEEHIIV | BABBEL | SQUAD
? Level up your ineffective website chatbot with CommandBar. CommandBar builds a new type of web assistant which delivers highly personalized responses, real time co-browsing, and can perform actions on behalf of the users. Learn how Hashicorp, Gusto, Freshworks and more use CommandBar at https://commandbar.com/moz

? Ready to achieve your 2024 goals? Start learning a new language with Babbel in just three weeks. Enjoy app lessons, live classes, and podcasts designed for real-world conversations. Get up to 60% off at babbel.com/zen

? Head to beehiiv, the newsletter platform built for growth, to power your own. Connect with premium brands, scale your audience, and deliver a beautiful UX that stands out in an inbox. A special offer is at https://beehiiv.com: use code "MOZ" for 20% off your first three months

? NetSuite has 25 years of providing financial software for all your business needs. More than 36,000 businesses have already upgraded to NetSuite by Oracle, gaining visibility and control over their financials, inventory, HR, eCommerce, and more. If you’re looking for an ERP platform head to NetSuite: http://netsuite.com/zen - NetSuite has extended a one-of-a-kind flexible financing program for a few more weeks.

? Head to Squad to access global engineering without the headache and at a fraction of the cost: head to https://choosesquad.com/ and mention “Turpentine” to skip the waitlist.

--

FOLLOW ON X:
@eriktorenberg (Erik)
@agm.eth (Antonio)
@moz_podcast (Moment of Zen)
@TurpentineMedia

--

TIMESTAMPS:
(00:00) Political Gaffes and the Current State of Politics
(01:23) Sponsor: Command Bar
(01:45) Debate Reactions and Media Response
(03:02) Biden's Cognitive Decline and Media Narratives
(04:48) Biden's Debate Performance and Democratic Strategy
(07:15) Biden's Decision-Making and Political Dynamics
(12:53) Potential Democratic Candidates and Political Speculations
(14:55) Sponsors: Babbel | beehiiv
(19:51) International Perspectives and Influence on U.S. Elections
(22:30) Trump vs. Biden: Public Perception and Debate Tactics
(27:43) Sponsors: Netsuite | Squad
(38:10) Trump's Endorsement in Silicon Valley
(38:56) Silicon Valley's Political Divide
(39:49) Crypto's Shift Towards Trump
(40:49) Changing Political Opinions
(43:33) The Shift in Discourse on Race
(44:51) White Nationalism and Immigration
(49:35) Trump's Unpredictability
(51:01) Biden's Potential Successors
(55:31) January 6th and Its Aftermath
(1:07:19) Trump's Second Term Prospects
(1:20:10) Concerns About Trump's Second Term
(1:24:42) Final Thoughts