There's no doubt that today's conference has been hijacked by French politics. Sessions have been compressed or bumped to accommodate the political beauty parade, and the discussions are of tangential relevance to the conference at best.
I'm in two minds about this. The blog-champion geeky part of me is irritated, frankly. I came here to learn about the cutting edge of web media, and this just a distraction. I imagine the people who paid to attend out of their own pockets, rather than their company's, will be even more annoyed. It feels like the conference has been used to promote a political agenda of blogging's role in French society. And, when 50% of the attendees are from overseas, that's pretty thoughtless.
On the other hand, that's exactly why the journalist part of my brain is excited by it. On a meta level, the fact that Loïc has been able to attract the calibre of person here that he has is mind-blowing. Can you imagine politicians in other countries dropping by a geeky conference at very short notice? No.
There's plenty to learn about the role that social media is playing in France. It's a shame the conference hasn't given us more of that.
"On a meta level, the fact that Loïc has been able to attract the calibre of person here ".. Do you thing that Sarkozy is bigcalibre ? He is minister and that's all. He was never Prime Minister. His team of advisers was thinking that it's interesting to be here to show a "modern picture" of Sarkozy. May be tomorrow he will be more than 1 hour in a field to eat sausage to show that he is like usual farmer.. Bayrou was here because traditionnal media don't look at him.. Please don't be like a chicken with Lemeur. There are every week a lot of congresses, seminars in Paris with more people and more politicians.. Abnd don't think that sarkozy changer his planning on monday.. All teh thinks were decided before by his advisers, especially Thierry Solere and Arnaud Dassier.
It's presidential campaign time here in France. Nothing to do with "politicians showing up on a geeky conf on very short notice". They are just campaigning. Thanks for giving them part of your time, and of your money.