This is a drop in the bucket of this problematic interview, but it's fascinating to see Chris use "gotcha question" to just mean "question I'm unprepared to answer". That's a tic I strongly associate with GOP politicians.
I have professional familiarity with this company from years ago, and I believe I can say (without breaching any privilege obligations I have) that the guys running this company were... never particularly sharp. The only that's surprised me about them is that they've somehow managed to stay in business this long.
While Skadden is Musk's local counsel in Delaware, Quinn Emanuel appears to be his primary litigation counsel for this matter. (Quinn Emanuel is also no slouch, though.)
I think it's a stretch to suggest that Musk is playing some kind of 11th dimensional chess here, though. He made some very dumb decisions around acquiring Twitter, and those decisions are now coming back to bite him in the ass. Based on the quality of the arguments his lawyers are making, my guess is that he's dug so deep a hole for himself (between the merger agreement he negotiated and his public statements) that even very good litigators are struggling to develop a winning argument for him.
Under the terms of the merger agreement, Twitter was only required to provide information necessary to close the deal, and had full discretion to refuse to provide information not necessary for that purpose. Access to Twitter's API would be an important part of due diligence (which Musk foolishly waived), but is not necessary to consummate Musk's acquisition of the company. I understand why Musk is grasping at straws here (he's got a lot of money on the line), but there's no need for you to grasp right along with him.
Given the number of people I see in online forums who are completely immune to education on the bots vs. mDAU issue, I've become convinced that almost none of the noise pushing the Twitter spam issue is made in good faith. I have no idea how Musk has so many people (real people? bots?) carrying water for him on so many platforms, but it seems like a classic attempt to flood the zone with garbage.
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"Gotcha" questions
This is a drop in the bucket of this problematic interview, but it's fascinating to see Chris use "gotcha question" to just mean "question I'm unprepared to answer". That's a tic I strongly associate with GOP politicians.
Only if it can also pass the character and fitness requirement.
These are not very bright guys, and things got out of hand
I have professional familiarity with this company from years ago, and I believe I can say (without breaching any privilege obligations I have) that the guys running this company were... never particularly sharp. The only that's surprised me about them is that they've somehow managed to stay in business this long.
While Skadden is Musk's local counsel in Delaware, Quinn Emanuel appears to be his primary litigation counsel for this matter. (Quinn Emanuel is also no slouch, though.) I think it's a stretch to suggest that Musk is playing some kind of 11th dimensional chess here, though. He made some very dumb decisions around acquiring Twitter, and those decisions are now coming back to bite him in the ass. Based on the quality of the arguments his lawyers are making, my guess is that he's dug so deep a hole for himself (between the merger agreement he negotiated and his public statements) that even very good litigators are struggling to develop a winning argument for him.
Under the terms of the merger agreement, Twitter was only required to provide information necessary to close the deal, and had full discretion to refuse to provide information not necessary for that purpose. Access to Twitter's API would be an important part of due diligence (which Musk foolishly waived), but is not necessary to consummate Musk's acquisition of the company. I understand why Musk is grasping at straws here (he's got a lot of money on the line), but there's no need for you to grasp right along with him.
Flooding the zone...
Given the number of people I see in online forums who are completely immune to education on the bots vs. mDAU issue, I've become convinced that almost none of the noise pushing the Twitter spam issue is made in good faith. I have no idea how Musk has so many people (real people? bots?) carrying water for him on so many platforms, but it seems like a classic attempt to flood the zone with garbage.