[Kenny]

Well the nominee better get used to this kind of controlled audience. Probably a test run for Obama’s debates.

Newt should have started by telling the audience we are still a free country and they could applaud him as much and often as possible.

Who the hell is NBC to tell the audience they CAN’T applaud.

[writer33]

Well the nominee better get used to this kind of controlled audience. Probably a test run for Obama’s debates.

Yes, sir. It will be just like that.

[katiedidit1]

Maybe the gop establishment worked with the media to control the debate so it wouldnt hurt Romney

[RobinWWJD]

Rick was doing ok until he started this crap again. He’s on a loop.

[Jane Long]

Newt should have started by telling the audience we are still a free country and they could applaud him as much and often as possible.

Exactly. That's a knock down I'd love to have seen.

[American Quilter]

Newt should have started by telling the audience we are still a free country and they could applaud him as much and often as possible. Who the hell is NBC to tell the audience they CAN’T applaud.

I agree. I suspect no such order would have been given if NBC thought Romney would receive the majority of the applause.

[Irish Eyes]

Newt should have started by telling the audience we are still a free country and they could applaud him as much and often as possible.

LOL...that would have been good.

[World'sGoneInsane]

Who the hell is NBC to tell the audience they CAN’T applaud.

I guess this explains why NBC is always in last place. Yawn.

[LibsRJerks]

Another question to the non-conservative . . .

[LostInBayport]

Who the hell is NBC to tell the audience they CAN’T applaud.

I remember a substitute teacher in grammar school who was quite uptight and told us we had better not dare to make one sound while taking a test.

One of the guys made a sound...if someone did that in the audience of this dullfest debate it might make the highlight reel on all the talk shows.

[AmericanInTokyo]

Playing devil’s advocate, they may want to spot Occupy Wall Street disruptor types right away, if they were to create a Code Pink type situation. On the other hand, applause does indeed take away from it. If you allow applause, it seems to me you have to admit people in equal amounts per the number of candidates up on the stage they support, ie. in this case, drawn equally four ways between supporters for M, G, S and P. PS Gingrich giving a decent answer right now on the meaning of the Presidency in these current dark days.

[Bronzy]

Perhaps OWS will see some real revolution when conservatives break the “no applause” rules during a debate with Obama.