Continue to retreat, and the assholes will continue to advance.
Somebody has to draw a line somewhere, and hopefully before it results in bloodshed.
Get into an argument with him? Get into a fight with him? Start brawling on the barroom floor?
Cuccinelli did what he should have done and that's take the high road and ignore the drunk in the bar.
If he had got into a fracas with the loser O'Malley, the press would have had a hay day with crucifying Cuccinelli. What does that solve?
Too many FReepers on these type threads want revenge but all they'd get was the reverse.