Optimal for maximizing the chance of the publicity going away and him continuing his job status quo. Most people aren't going to write about a dead blog.
This solution is fine now that there's no chance.
This solution is fine now that there's no chance.
But that just means he wanted to change the NYT's mind (the journalist's and/or the editor's at least), not to forever give up blogging. (So it seems to me his preferences are rather complex and they depend on various time-frames.)