In this conversation, Dan Harris and Claudia Koestler discuss the state of the U.S. presidential election and the Trump-Biden debate from the perspective of Europe. They explore how closely Germany and the UK follow the election and the media's response to the debate. They also discuss the importance of the election for the world and the potential impact of a Trump or Biden presidency. The conversation touches on the age issue of Biden, the values represented by the two candidates and their parties, and the potential outcome if Germany and the UK had the right to vote in the U.S. election. They also discuss the need to consider more than just one performance or issue when making a decision and the importance of competence in a leader. The conversation concludes with a discussion about Biden's struggles and challenges at this crucial time of his presidency and the existential threat to democracy, drawing the apt analogy of Hemingway's 'Old Man and the Sea'.

As a bonus to this discussion, we have added our theme song, Can You Increase Democracy by '10%' by The Pleasure Bombs in full at the end of the episode. A cracking tune. Enjoy!

Here are some key takeaways from the episode:

· Germany and the UK closely follow the U.S. presidential election and the Trump-Biden debate.

· The outcome of the U.S. election is of tremendous importance to the world, especially to allies in Europe and Western countries.

· The media's response to the debate focused more on Biden's performance rather than the content and important issues at stake.

· The age issue of Biden has become a central focus, overshadowing other important issues and values represented by the candidates and their parties.

· It is important to consider more than just one performance or issue when deciding an election.

· Competence should be a key factor in choosing a leader, regardless of age.

· If Germany had the right to vote in the U.S. election, it is likely that a majority would vote for Biden, aligning with shared values and democratic principles.

· Biden's performance in the debate has raised concerns and may have affected his standing in swing states.

· The analogy of Hemingway's 'The Old Man and the Sea' represents the dilemma of whether Biden should hang on or let go of his pursuit of the presidency.

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