I didn't experience it first hand, however my seat mate on my ABQ-BWI last week got on grumbling about the "utter sh**" that the TSA was doing.
She said that "several" TSA people were there, but only two or three were doing the searching while everyone was taking notes. They went through the line before boarding looking at everyone's BP/ID, frisking some people and looking in other people's bags. I saw the TSA jokers pushing their gate search cart around BWI and staring at the display boards, but they didn't come to our RDU flight.
Judging by how my seat mate described the process at ABQ, they go through the line before boarding. Not sure if they do the other groups, but it sounds like they pick on you if you're lined up in the A group. So, my thought is to go back to the old rules of looking straight ahead and don't be the first to board, plus not lining up until they start boarding, then you should have less problems. Of course, this means if you're an A lister/BS'er, you're more likely to be picked on than if you're B32.
In any event, I don't plan to stop for the TSA goons doing the gate searches. I'll wear ear phones and pretend like I don't hear them.