[mullingitover]

> 1) Why even blogging about this? Is Tesla that insecure about its PR that they think they need to take the wind out of any possible negative news story, even if it will be easily defused?

I don't think insecure is the right word. Protective is probably more appropriate.

The claim really looks like slimy lawyering based on pure fraud, so why run around doing press interviews (or whatever you think they're supposed to do) when they can lay out their facts on their own terms?

If they weren't responsive to negative press, people would be calling them shrinking violets instead.