Best Taegan Podcasts (2025)

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Episode 101: A Passion for Politics, with Taegan Goddard 57:36

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16d ago57:36

57:36

In this episode, Whitney and Coté talk with Taegan Goddard, founder of Political Wire. They talk about what drives people to go above and beyond in their work, especially journalism like Taegan does. There's some fun conversation about how Taegan runs the business, keeping up his never ending coverage. Having run the site for well over two decades,…

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424: ‘Live From WWDC 2025’, With Joanna Stern and Nilay Patel 2:06:04

1h ago2:06:04

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Recorded in front of a live audience at The California Theatre in San Jose Tuesday evening, special guests Joanna Stern and Nilay Patel join me to discuss Apple’s announcements at WWDC 2025. Video: This show is available to watch in 4K video on YouTube. 3D video with spatial audio: Exclusively in Sandwich Vision's Theater on Vision Pro, available o…

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Episode 102: The brilliant dummy in my pocket, with WhitneyGPT 1:08:21

3d ago1:08:21

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In this episode, Whitney and Coté discuss Whitney's newfound enthusiasm for AI after a recent stint with the tool Cursor. The conversation covers how AI tools can aid in coding, building engineering journals, and even drafting compelling conference talk abstracts. They highlight the difference between tasks and prompts in AI, personalizing AI inter…

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Congressman Mike Quigley, Why He Called on Biden to Step Aside, & Why It Remains A Necessary Conversation 47:23

11d ago47:23

47:23

Send us a text Congressman Mike Quigley is in his 9th term representing Chicago's North Side and Lakefront as a Democrat in the House. He made waves last year after the first presidential debate as one of the first elected Democrats to publicly urge President Biden to step aside as the party's nominee. In this conversation, we talk through what led…

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423: ‘Sewing Machine Repair Shop’, With Patrick McGee 1:32:42

15d ago1:32:42

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Patrick McGee joins the show to discuss his must-read new book, Apple in China -- one of the best books about Apple anyone has ever written. Sponsored by: Factor: Healthy eating, made easy. Get 50% off plus free shipping on your first box. Notion: Your notes, docs, and projects in one space. Squarespace: Save 10% off your first purchase of a websit…

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422: ‘A Monkey on a Rock’, With Stephen Hackett 2:14:46

18d ago2:14:46

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Stephen Hackett, proprietor of 512 Pixels and co-founder of Relay (purveyor of many fine podcasts), joins the show. Topics include: IO (or if you will, io), the new joint venture of OpenAI and Jony Ive’s LoveFrom; the sheer fantasy of “Made in America” iPhones; and Fortnite’s return to the US App Store. Sponsored by: WorkOS: The modern identity pla…

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Eight Years in the Reagan White House with Veteran GOP Staffer Frank Lavin 1:19:38

25d ago1:19:38

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Send us a text Frank Lavin served under Presidents Reagan, George H.W. Bush, and George W. Bush in positions as varied as personnel, national security, international trade negotiations, Ambassador to Singapore, among others. In this conversation, we discuss his 8+ years in the Reagan White House from 1981-1989 - which is chronicled in his recent bo…

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Episode 100: "I used to eat 7-Eleven pizza," startups, open source, and more, with Sarah Christoff 1:02:11

1M ago1:02:11

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After an extensive discussion of 7-Eleven pizza cuisine, in this episode, Whitney and Coté talk with Sarah Christoff. They discuss working at startups, the point of startups, working in open source and balancing commercial and community interests, moving to Europe, and more! Find Sarah in LinkedIn. Also, Coté referenced a talk by Aneel Lakhani at M…

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Patrick McHugh, Co-Founder of Gambit Strategies & Former E.D. of Priorities USA 1:01:21

1M ago1:01:21

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Send us a text Patrick McHugh, co-founder of Gambit Strategies, was the Executive Director of Priorities USA in 2020 as the main super PAC allied with the Biden Presidential campaign. Prior to that, he had stints at the DSCC and working in the opp research department on major Democratic campaigns. In this conversation, we explore Patrick's roots in…

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Episode 99: Catering to Startups, with Robert Reeves 1:08:50

1M ago1:08:50

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Whitney and Coté talk with Robert Reeves about startups, catering, the Austin's tech scene, and the business of open source over the past 20 years. A sampling: Robert share some stories of early startup adventures and strategic moves, behind the scenes catering rock festivals, and the importance of geography for starting your career in tech. Check …

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421: ‘The Ratchet of Flippancy’, With Craig Mod 1:53:11

1M ago1:53:11

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Craig Mod returns to the show to discuss his splendid new book, Things Become Other Things. Other topics include creating with AI tools (including programming), social media permanence vs. ephemerality, and more. Sponsored by: Dekáf Coffee Roasters: You won’t believe it’s decaf. That’s the point. 30% off with code: DF. Squarespace: Make your next m…

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Checking Back in with Dr. Michael Cohen on the New Edition of His Book, Modern Political Campaigns 1:09:53

2M ago1:09:53

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Send us a text Catching up this week with return guest Dr. Michael Cohen, who just released a new edition of his book Modern Political Campaigns this month. He studied under iconic pollster Bill Hamilton as a student, worked in the trenches in Republican campaigns, spent time at Gallup, apprenticed under renowned GOP pollster Tony Fabrizio and work…

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420: ‘The Best Hatched Plan’, With Glenn Fleishman 2:08:24

2M ago2:08:24

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Special guest Glenn Fleishman returns to the show for episode 420 on 4/20, but everyone’s sober, I swear. Topics include Trump’s dumb tariffs and Glenn’s smart new edition of his book Six Centuries of Type & Printing. Sponsored by: Squarespace: Make your next move. Use code talkshow for 10% off your first order. Notion: Try the powerful, easy-to-us…

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Episode 98: From OpenStack to Kubernetes, extreme transparency at GitLab, tech startup marketing, with Melissa Smolensky 1:05:46

2M ago1:05:46

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Whitney and Coté tour through a couple decades of tech infrastructure history with Melissa Smolensky, whose marketing career spans Rackspace, GitLab, CoreOS, and the CNCF, among other places. They explore the OpenStack/Kubernetes evolution, how "radical transparency" actually functions in corporate settings, and the shifting landscape of tech marke…

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Senator Pat Leahy, the Third Longest Serving Senator in US History 48:49

2M ago48:49

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Send us a text Pat Leahy is a giant of the US Senate...the first Democrat elected to the Senate from Vermont...the third longest serving Senator in US history...the Senate President Pro Tem...Chair of Appropriations, Agriculture, and Judiciary...and 8 terms in the US Senate. In this conversation, we talk his roots in small town Vermont, overcoming …

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Episode 97: The Business and Ethics of Open Source, with Emily Omier 1:22:38

2M ago1:22:38

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In this episode, Whitney and Coté talk with Emily Omier, a consultant specializing in open source strategy and product management for businesses. They discuss the initial reactions and learning curve of new tech entrants to open source, the advantages and potential disadvantages of building a business around open-source software, and the ethical co…

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Documentary Filmmaker Yoav Attias & The American Housing Crisis 46:50

3M ago46:50

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Send us a text Yoav Attias is a documentary filmmaker whose projects include Brick City chronicling the inner-workings of Newark, NJ under then-Mayor Cory Booker and CNN's Chicagoland featuring then-mayor Rahm Emanuel. His most recent role is as Director on the new documentary film Fault Lines - which examines the issue of affordable housing in Ame…

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419: ‘Podcasting Technology Cadence’, With MG Siegler 2:28:58

3M ago2:28:58

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MG Siegler returns to the show to talk about the drama surrounding Siri and Apple Intelligence. Sponsored by: WorkOS: The modern identity platform for B2B SaaS — free up to 1 million monthly active users. Check out their latest features from Launch Week. BetterHelp: Give online therapy a try at BetterHelp and get on your way to being your best self…

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Episode 96: Learning, teaching, tech certifications, and napkin culture in Singapore, with Mumshad Mannambeth 1:01:31

3M ago1:01:31

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In this video, Coté and Whitney talk about tech education and learning with Mumshad Mannambeth. There's talk about certifications, but also how teaching online works and what it's like when it scales up to millions of people. Plus, Coté tries to figure out how to get access to more napkins. You can also watch the video of this interview form if you…

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Karen Defilippi, Democratic Campaigns, & The Launch of Versus Media Group 49:49

3M ago49:49

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Send us a text Karen Deflippi is launching Versus Media Group, after nearly 20 years in politics - including running campaigns, being a House Chief of Staff on the Hill, senior positions at Emilys List and the DCCC, and her current role as a media consultant for Democratic candidates and progressives causes. In this conversation she talks her path …

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418: ‘Putting a Stink on the Letter X’, With Craig Hockenberry 2:42:03

3M ago2:42:03

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Craig Hockenberry returns to the show. Topics include Apple’s new hardware this week — M3 iPad Airs, A16 regular iPads, M4 MacBook Airs, and the M4 Max and surprising M3 Ultra Mac Studios. And we go deep on The Iconfactory’s years-in-the-making new app, Tapestry — a universal timeline for the Internet. Exclusively sponsored by: Google Gemini: Chat …

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Episode 95: Success in Tech, Content Creation, & Corporate Influence, with Hazel Weakly 1:03:39

3M ago1:03:39

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In this episode, Whitney and Coté talk with Hazel Weakly about the unexpected success of content, the influence of corporate interests in open source, and the importance of emotional vulnerability in the tech industry. Hazel shares her experiences transitioning as a trans woman in tech, how her interactions changed post-transition, and the need for…

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Taegan Goddard, Founder of Political Wire, on the Intersection of Politics, Tech, & Media 50:41

4M ago50:41

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Send us a text Taegan Goddard is the founder and editor of Political Wire, one of the most widely-read political news sites over the last 25+ years. He created Political Wire in the late 1990s after stints as a Senate staffer on Capitol Hill and several years in state government in his home state of Connecticut. In this conversation, he talks his o…

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417: ‘Nothing Is Possible’, With Paul Kafasis 2:00:43

4M ago2:00:43

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Special guest: Paul Kafasis. Special topics: Siri/Super Bowl nonsense, “Gulf of Mexico/America” nonsense, the iPhone 16e gets announced, and a veritable Bond villain buys the rights to the James Bond movie franchise. Sponsored by: Listen Later: Turn articles into podcasts and listen on the go, with AI-powered narration. Unofficial but surprisingly …

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Episode 94: Adding more condiments to the 7 layer networking burrito, with Marino Wijay 1:05:36

4M ago1:05:36

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In this episode, Whitney and Coté interview Marino Wijay, Coté finally gets to the bottom of why networking has so many layers. Why do we keep adding new layers and frameworks instead of just fixing the ones we have? They also talk about the challenges of platform engineering, the importance of empathy in tech, the difficulties of integrating multi…

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Remembering Peter Rodino, "Watergate's Unexpected Hero", with Staffer & Author Larry Spinelli 1:06:22

4M ago1:06:22

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Send us a text Dr. Larry Spinelli has worn numerous hats in and around politics...Hill staffer, senior positions in the federal bureaucracy, political science professor, historian and author. His new book is Watergate's Unexpected Hero, about the life of the incredibly impactful New Jersey Democratic Congressman Peter Rodino - to whom Spinelli was …

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Episode 93: 10x People, AI Trends, and Career Management, with Richard Seroter 59:23

4M ago59:23

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Join Whitney and Coté as they talk with Richard Seroter from Google about the myth of the 10X developer and his perspective on hiring and managing tech talent. They also talk about the significance of learning and AI in the tech industry, the importance of communication skills, valuable resources for staying updated in tech, and Richard's personal …

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The Ballad of Mary Bono 1:05:58

5M ago1:05:58

1:05:58

Send us a text Mary Bono served 15 years in the House, representing a Palms Springs-based seat in Riverside County, CA. She initially entered politics and the House after the tragic passing of her late husband Sonny Bono - the world-famous singer / TV star turned mayor and ultimately congressman. In this conversation, she talks the political rise o…

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Episode 92: What went wrong with PaaS, and many other topics with Brian Gracely 1:16:14

5M ago1:16:14

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In this episode of Software Defined Interviews, Coté and Whitney host Brian Gracely, co-host of the Cloudcast podcast and head of portfolio strategy at Red Hat. They discuss the process of gathering and reporting cloud news, the evolution of PaaS, and the pros and cons of working at small startups versus large companies. Also: career advice, the im…

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Ryan Davis, Co-Founder of People First, on Why 2024 Was "The Influencer Election" 59:00

5M ago59:00

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Send us a text Ryan Davis, co-founder of the digital political firm People First, has long been at the cutting edge of digital politics and the rise of digital influencers and has dubbed 2024 as "The Influencer Election". In this conversation, Ryan talks his roots in politics, a detour through the NYC theater community, being part of the influentia…

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Episode 91: Learning to learn, with Sasha Czarkowski 1:04:01

5M ago1:04:01

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What’s it really like to do all that DevOps-y transformation at companies? That’s what we talk about this week with Sasha Czarkowski…mostly. We also discuss learning how to learning, metrics, staying sane in chaotic systems and change, breaking presentation rules, Louisville, Kentucky, and Coté’s (odd?) dislike of the open spaces format. You can al…

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Mark Harris, General Consultant for Dave McCormick in Pennsylvania, on 2024's Lone Senate Upset 1:14:02

5M ago1:14:02

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Send us a text Mark Harris, co-founder of ColdSpark strategies, was the General Consultant for the successful Dave McCormick 2024 Pennsylvania Senate race - arguably the lone true upset of the '24 Senate cycle. In this conversation, Mark talks his roots in PA politics - including running for office himself, ousting a sitting legislator in a GOP pri…

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Episode 90: Community management, event nightmares, and domestic Tupperware diplomacy, with Katie Greenley 58:28

6M ago58:28

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Katie Greenley shares her experiences managing events and community programs like the CNCF Ambassadors. Coté, Whitney, and Katie also discuss career development, managing a community team, and the delicate art of introducing cereal decanting into the home. Checdk out Katie in LinkedIn, and the CNCF Ambassadors program. Special Guest: Katie Greenley…

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416: ‘A Professional Internet User’, With Vlad Prelovac 2:32:38

6M ago2:32:38

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Kagi founder and CEO Vlad Prelovac joins the show to talk about the business of web search, the thinking behind Kagi’s own amazing search engine, and their upstart WebKit-based browser Orion. Sponsored by: Squarespace: Make your next move. Use code talkshow for 10% off your first order. Memberful: Monetize your passion with membership. Start your f…

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Inside the 2024 North Carolina Governor's Race with Josh Stein Senior Strategist Morgan Jackson & Campaign Manager Jeff Allen 1:08:17

6M ago1:08:17

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Send us a text Senior Strategist Morgan Jackson & Campaign Manager Jeff Allen helped guide Democrat Josh Stein to a historic win in the 2024 open-seat North Carolina Governor's Race over GOP lighting rod Mark Robinson. In this conversation, they both discuss how Stein went from trailing in many of the early polls to winning on Election Day by a his…

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Episode 89: How platform engineering is different than DevOps, plus, narwhal teeth and spider digestion, with Viktor Farcic 1:11:34

6M ago1:11:34

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In this episode, Whitney and Coté talk with Viktor Farcic, Developer Advocate at Upbound, about platform engineering, the evolution of DevOps, project managing a content creation engine of one, and the virtues of imperfection. Also, the strategic avoidance of asking for directions, or, really, talking with people in general. Find Viktor in YouTube,…

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Rebecca Katz, General Consultant for Ruben Gallego & John Fetterman, on Running & Winning Tough Races 48:56

6M ago48:56

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Send us a text Rebecca Katz, founder of New Deal Strategies, is coming off her second consecutive cycle as General Consultant on signature Democratic Senate wins - including Ruben Gallego in Arizona and John Fetterman in Pennsylvania. In this episode, Rebecca talks in depth about both of those races and the lessons to be mined for Democrats in the …

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415: ‘A Good Duck Butt’, With Allen Pike 2:32:52

6M ago2:32:52

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Special guest Allen Pike joins the show to talk about the state of generative AI and how Apple Intelligence measures up (so far). Also: some speculation on Apple’s pending acquisition of the ever-difficult-to-pronounce Pixelmator. Sponsored by: WorkOS: The modern identity platform for B2B SaaS — free up to 1 million monthly active users. Links: All…

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Episode 88: Platform Engineering and UK Digital People, with Abby Bangser 1:19:56

7M ago1:19:56

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As if platform engineering and expat'ing in the UK weren't enough, Whintney and Coté discuss the forgotten technology of business cards wih Abby Bangser. Check out Abby in LinkedIn, and Kratix the platform engineering project from Syntasso. Also, check out the CNCF Platforms White paper and Cloud Native Maturity Model. We had video recording proble…

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Episode 87: Platform Engineering, AI, and Community - Whitney's KubeCon NA 2024 Adventures 48:06

7M ago48:06

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Whitney is back from KubeCon and shares what she saw. We talk about platform engineering, Salt Lake City's vibe, AI, and observability, among other things. We wrap the episode with tips for maximizing attending conferences. Also, memories of Arby's ads. Whitney's KubeCon talks: Choose Your Own Adventure: The Observability Odyssey Panel: Exploring e…

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Election 2024 Recap with Nathan Gonzales of Inside Elections 55:20

7M ago55:20

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Send us a text Nathan Gonzales is the Editor and Publisher of Inside Elections, one of the foundations of American political analysis, and a frequent presence talking and writing about politics on TV and in print. In this conversation, recorded two weeks after Election Day 2024, Nathan weighs in on the headlines from the '24 campaign, surprises and…

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414: ‘Annoying Friendliness’, With Joanna Stern 1:54:06

7M ago1:54:06

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Joanna Stern returns to the show to talk about our new best friends, AI chatbots, and I chime in with how the Voight-Kampff test got it all wrong. Sponsored by: WorkOS: The modern identity platform for B2B SaaS — free up to 1 million monthly active users. Squarespace: Make your next move. Use code talkshow for 10% off your first order. Memberful: M…

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Episode 86: Open Source Money Ethics, How Analysts use AI, What Even is an Industry Analyst, and Advanced Chicken Nugget Diplomacy, with Rachel Stephens 1:10:54

7M ago1:10:54

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In this episode, Whitney Lee and Coté dive into the insights of Rachel Stephens from RedMonk about the world of being an industry analyst. They discuss experiences from working as an analyst, the balance between qualitative and quantitative analysis, the challenges and misconceptions surrounding open-source business models, and the impact of AI on …

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Pro Politics Re-Release: Maggie Haberman on the Political Rise of Donald Trump 40:54

7M ago40:54

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Send us a text [Originally released 11/22] Maggie Haberman is, of course, the Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter who's covered the political rise of Donald Trump for the New York Times...and her book, CONFIDENCE MAN: The Making of Donald Trump & The Breaking of America became an immediate best seller. In this conversation, Maggie dives into all things…

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413: ‘Holiday Party 2024’, With Merlin Mann 2:52:16

7M ago2:52:16

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This again. Jiminy. Well, once more, let's talk around another election, and try, by doing so, to maybe express something about it. Sponsored by: Tiptop: A new way to pay that combines Instant Trade-In and Pay-in-4 at checkout. Squarespace: Make your next move. Use code talkshow for 10% off your first order. Memberful: Monetize your passion with me…

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Republican Pollster Patrick Ruffini on the Increasingly Multi-Racial GOP Coalition 53:18

7M ago53:18

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Send us a text [Initially Released 11/07/23] Patrick Ruffini, pollster at Echelon Strategies, returns to talk about his new book PARTY OF THE PEOPLE - on the transition of the Republican Party from being dominated by wealthy, suburban white voters to a more blue-collar and increasingly-multi-racial coalition. In this conversation, Patrick lays out …

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Election Day 2024 Preview with Amy Walter 1:09:46

7M ago1:09:46

1:09:46

Send us a text With just hours until polling places open for the November 5th presidential election, this week's guest is analyst Amy Walter to provide her insights and instincts heading into Election Day. The editor and publisher of The Cook Report with Amy Walter, Amy has been a constant presence writing and thinking about US elections for nearly…

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412: ‘His Most Pro Shirt’, With Dan Moren 1:41:42

8M ago1:41:42

1:41:42

Dan Moren returns to the show to discuss this week’s introductions of the first M4 Macs: iMac, Mac Mini, and MacBook Pros. Sponsored by: WorkOS: The modern identity platform for B2B SaaS — free up to 1 million monthly active users. Squarespace: Make your next move. Use code talkshow for 10% off your first order. Memberful: Monetize your passion wit…

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Episode 85: Kubernetes Cost Controls and Washing Horse Blankets, with Phil Andrews 53:33

8M ago53:33

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Whitney and Coté talk with Phil Andrews, field CTO at Cast AI, about cost management and optimization, the nuances of Kubernetes, coin-operated laundromats, and farm life. The conversation touches on the differences between automation and FinOps, how sales and engineering intersect in cloud software, and Phil's unique experiences - from managing a …

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2024 Election Panel: Andy Blunt, Jim Ellis, & Zac McCrary 42:33

8M ago42:33

42:33

Send us a text This is a different type of episode this week as I have borrowed the audio from a panel I was part of last Thursday (10/24/24) to discuss the upcoming 2024 elections. This panel is hosted by the government affairs firm Husch Blackwell Strategies, and the video link can be accessed here. Moderating the discussion is Husch Blackwell CE…