Reply #24: Or ...

[RoyGBiv]

If I knew I couldn't kick his ass all over the place in reality without being shot in the head, I might find some satisfaction in knowing the man was about to have his ass handed to him rhetorically, and seeing that, in person, would be quite satisfying to me. I'm not sure if you noticed, but they were a part of the act, not as big a part as Helen Thomas was, but a part. They knew what was coming, and they reacted accordingly.

I've been known to show up at places where I knew people I loathed would be, just because I knew it would make them uncomfortable. I can see something like that at work here.