It's really not, because showing up at such a high-profile event makes it nearly impossible to return to obscurity. There are too many legitimate follow up issues that are impossible to ignore. Especially if something comes out later that is even a tiny bit in conflict with the testimony.
If this were chess, Page sacrificed a pawn for critical board control/position. It hurt, but Google is playing the long game.
This is the first article I came across that was about Google's absence. Every other article about the hearings talked about what Sandberg and Dorsey said.
If this were chess, Page sacrificed a pawn for critical board control/position. It hurt, but Google is playing the long game.