All-In E200: Dueling Presidential interviews, SpaceX's big catch, Robotaxis, Uber buying Expedia?, Nuclear NIMBY
Episode 200 • 10/19/2024
Presidential Interviews and Campaign Discussion
- Discussed Trump's Bloomberg interview (64 minutes) vs Kamala Harris' Fox News interview with Bret Baier (26 minutes)
- Group consensus that Harris' interview was shorter and less substantive, with her team allegedly trying to end it early
- Discussed betting markets showing Trump ahead (60-40) vs traditional polling showing closer race
- Debate around JD Vance's recent interviews and election certification statements
SpaceX and Tesla Updates
- SpaceX successfully caught a 23-story Starship rocket booster using "chopstick" catching mechanism
- Discussion of cost reduction achievements: from $10,000/kg to $1,000/kg to orbit, aiming for $10/kg
- Tesla unveiled new robotaxi concept and autonomous bus
- Discussed technological achievement of catching massive rocket with precision
Uber-Expedia Deal Discussion
- Reports of preliminary talks about Uber potentially acquiring Expedia (~$20B market cap)
- Discussion focused on whether cross-selling travel to Uber's user base makes sense
- Chamath and Sacks skeptical about synergies and user experience implications
- Friedberg outlined potential financial benefits but group generally dubious about deal rationale
Nuclear Power Debate
- Heated debate about nuclear power adoption in US
- Sacks argued against nuclear, citing NIMBY concerns and safety risks
- Friedberg provided data on safety record: only three major incidents historically (Chernobyl, Fukushima, Three Mile Island)
- Discussion of new generation reactors (Gen 3/4) and SMRs (Small Modular Reactors)
- Debate about location requirements and economic necessity vs safety concerns
Other Topics
- Discussion of California Coastal Commission blocking SpaceX launches due to Elon Musk's political tweets
- Brief mention of upcoming election night coverage plans
- Announcement of 200th episode fan meetups happening worldwide