Yeah...bit disappointing. I've generally been very impressed with his ability to point out that being an arsehole makes you an arsehole, while at the same time explaining deftly how said arseholery makes no bloody sense anyway. His recent denunciation on QT of the Rwanda deportation plan as sadistic bullying - while pointing out exactly how stupid and useless the plan is even in its own terms - being a decent example.
But this sort of feels a bit like mentioning a load of putdowns as a tactic, so they cannot now be used in response (or so they can be invoked as "See - I knew you'd say that!" getouts). Even if they're all crap putdowns that deserve to be rubbished when used...I just...oh, I don't know. Rhetorically, it feels like it's beneath him as he's so intellectually adept and capable of arguing back when someone starts the snide mudslinging.
It may well be worth getting his retaliation in first if the backlash is likely to be furious though, I suppose.