answer:I am only guessing based on what you wrote, since I’ve not heard of this event, but since this is a Social question… My thought is that they may have responded from feeling that O’Malley was detracting, side-stepping, belittling, disagreeing, or not getting their message. It reminds me of when I have been worked up about something that I care very much about, and feel that others in general do not care about nearly as much as I wish they would, and I am trying to passionately express my point of view, and then they make a counterpoint or sideways remark or other one-line statement that seems to not acknowledge where I am coming from. It tends to be quite frustrating, and attract at least some of my passion into anger against them. Example: Me: “Did you know that there are only about 3000 wild tigers left on Earth? People keep destroying more and more of the places where they can live.” Herp: “Yeah, well, but people gotta live too.” Me: “I dunno. I’m imagining a tiger eating you alive, and I can’t say I’d be too concerned.”