bearbaiting

A blood sport in which dogs are set upon a chained bear

But bearbaiting, then a favourite diversion of high and low, was the abomination which most strongly stirred the wrath of the austere sectaries.

By this the whole matter had presented itself to them as an entertainment more diverting than bullfight or bearbaiting.

A bloodthirsty free for all.

All of these pivoted on the larger Problems: Not only how the press should discuss sexual morality of public officials but whether this ever should be a measure of fitness for public office; not only how the local press will allow its judgment to be pre-empted or conditioned by the Washington press, but also how news judgments, always contagious, can degenerate into bear baiting.

But that's not the worst part of the phenomenon that the press conference bearbaiting illustrates.