Near the end of the talk, the topic turned to the world's macroeconomic future.
"We've had a bubble that is gently deflating," Sachs said. "And if we have no president by next April, it will get worse."
Soros agreed, but expressed confidence in the long-term stability of global financial institutions.
"I went overboard in 1998 saying that system was about to collapse," he said confidently. "If it were to collapse next year, it wouldn't be that prediction."
Sachs and Soros remained on the podium for a few minutes after the program as the crowd swarmed around them to ask questions, shake hands, and, in Soros' case, get autographs.
"I was very happy with tonight's discussion," Sachs said after the talk. "I was very happy to have George Soros here. He wrote a great book, he's a stimulating personality, and we share a lot of misgivings about the way globalization has gone."