No, he wasn't. He doesn't need fan support. His resume and record speaks for itself. He doesn't need to campaign. Guarantee you Ainge asked for the interview, and David granted it. End of story.
No doubt he wants the job, but it is no skin off his nose if they hire someone else. A Division-1 offer will come his way soon enough. The question is does Tennessee make the smart move or does local donor politics screw it up again?
I swear I have never seen so many dumb smart people in one place in my life.