Why would deleting a page on an obscure topic earn anyone clout? Did they see into the future to know the public tantrum would follow? People, when you're work

Why would deleting a page on an obscure topic earn anyone clout? Did they see into the future to know the public tantrum would follow? People, when you're working backwards from the party you want to criticize rather than starting from a real point, you have to land on a point that would make any kind of sense.