Debating with an empty chair

Soon after it was revealed that a Valley investor had pursued a secret campaign against Gawker, I was interviewed by Kara Swisher.

I was expecting a trip into enemy territory. Although the Code Conference takes place in Palos Verdes, near Los Angeles, it is frequented by executives and investors from Silicon Valley. Peter Thiel had just been revealed as the secret backer of lawsuits against Gawker.

While journalists were taken aback at his methods, Thiel’s peers were sympathetic to his approach. The Valley loves a disruptive model. Thiel’s was a new method of public relations. He had been invited to join the panel, as had allies such as Vinod Khosla. In the end, my debating partner was an empty chair.