What's worse than having a nasty confrontation with someone first thing in the morning?

If you're violent anti-Scientologist Marty Rathbun, how about having another confrontation later in the day - and 2000 miles away from the first one.

That's how Rathbun started the month of September - like a crazed maniac.

The first target of his wrath was investigative reporter Jim Lynch. As Rathbun arrived at the Phoenix airport for a flight back to Texas early on the morning of Sept. 1, Lynch was there to ask Rathbun a question.

Marty Rathbun's wife has been stepping in to shield her violence-prone husband lately.

That's the conclusion of observers who, recently, have seen a bolder and more determined "Mosey" at her husband's side.

Or, possibly, a wearying Rathbun is fronting his wife as a deflector to questions he is trying to dodge, or, unable to handle.

One prevalent theory has Mosey concerned that her husband is going to literally burst a gasket with rage, given the out-of-control manner in which he has been dealing with routine reporter queries.

It was a strange sight to see Marty Rathbun out of his usual work-out gear and sans baseball hat - the one that he wears backward.

That's the outfit he's usually wearing when he's going psycho on someone or screaming in a person's face.

This time Rathbun was in a suit, dressed up for his "hosts" who awarded him an all-expenses-paid trip to Hamburg, Germany, in return for his appearance at a staged press - make that propaganda - conference.