I don't know enough about the conference (one reason is the audio on YouTube is terrible for this event) to decide on that, but this seems like a shallow dismissal...even a vague attempt to misrepresent or cast doubt, perhaps prompted by fear of a legitimate criticism or exposure. It seems like a tactic, not a rebuttal.
Sorry if I got you wrong...I intend to look more into it to come up with a firmer view.