“I think he agreed to the interview because he is arrogant enough to think he can outsmart Kelly.”
Bingo! In the end, it is ego that drives all of these people. Ayers, and many like him, gravitate to radicalism because it is a venue in which they can assume the most importance. Had he gone into business, or medicine, or anything else, he just be another guy doing the job. Few achieve celebrity in most professions. If you’re willing to be a radical, however, you can be a rock star.
This is why defense attorneys don’t like their clients taking the stand.