The NY Times is reporting that Joshua Sparling spit back at the protestor who spit at him:
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/28/washington/28protest.html?pagewanted=2
I may be wrong, but I don't remember Josh spitting at anyone. I do, however, remember the Communist spitting at him.
Protest Focuses on Iraq Troop Increase
...Later, as antiwar protesters passed where he and his group were standing, words were exchanged and one of the antiwar protestors spit at the ground near Mr. Sparling; he spit back...Whether Josh did or not I figure he had every right to spit back. But I wouldn't trust a NYT reporter just the same.