Posted on 01/24/2012 8:21:28 AM PST by Bigtigermike
Newt Gingrich insists his fans will not be silenced.
Mr. Gingrich, a former House speaker, on Tuesday morning threatened not participate in any future debates with audiences that have been instructed to be silent. That was the case on Monday, when Brian Williams of NBC News asked the audience of about 500 people who assembled for a debate in Tampa to hold their applause until the commercial breaks.
In an interview with the morning show “Fox and Friends,” Mr. Gingrich said NBC’s rules amounted to stifling free speech. In what has become a standard line of attack for his anti-establishment campaign, Mr. Gingrich blamed the media for trying to silence a dissenting point of view.
(Excerpt) Read more at thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com ...
That’s a very interesting take on this matter.
No, he's on the stage because he EXPECTS to be president -- not that he wants to be, but he EXPECTS to be. But it's funny that you should compare a long-time famous pol to an ordinary person like me.
A Presidential debate is an ongoing interview with the American people. Why should a news network be allowed to stifle free speech? Let the people express how they feel, but just do it in a respectful manner. Once again, the media knew that the crowd gave Newt the advantage and they all want Romney so they had to do this to give Romney a chance. That’s all that’s going on here. The media is still trying control how we’re supposed to vote. The state run Obama media are the biggest influence peddlers in the land.
The perfect move!
Gingrich can handle the other debaters. Clearly, audience response is to defeat the moderators leftwing stunts - as witnessed by NBC's move to silence them coming only after audience response shutdown Juan Williams and John King in the last 2 debates.
Audience response must be allowed as a deterrent to moderators media activism.
I agree with Gingrich that stifling the crowd is anti-free speech. That’s self-evident.
Moreover, the crowd provides a first level commentary. After last night’s debate, the results are determined by spin masters. The crowd served as a check on their ability to spin.
I see Romney on Fox again.
I would love nothing more than to have the people shove their selection up their ass. They make me sick.
They are forcing this twit down our throats, and I don’t care if he’s a mix between Albert Einstein and Abe Lincoln (which he ain’t), but the principle is the thing.
I want the conservative electorate’s choice and not the power-monger’s choice.
The people must be stifled.
Don’t want to hear from the audience?
Don’t have one.
Hmmm
Being respectful of a private forum and telling the audience to remain quiet are two different things. If they don't want the audience to react to the debate they should have it in a closed studio and be done with it.
Good point.
The debates have brought him to where he is now. Ideas or not, without the numerous debate format, he wouldn’t have been in the position he’s in now without them.
Some might disagree with me, to which I’ll point out that Gingrich was frequently on the Fox News Channel over the past years, and I cannot recall one thread here speaking favorably about his ideas.
Thinking that maybe the Newties should be looking at this right now. Just to get clear-headed.
Yeah I agree. I just heard on Fox news the second hint that the GOP will put Daniels in as they fear Gingrich can’t beat Obama.This is nuts.The GOP can KMA Romney would not beat Obama.Gingrich could. Daniels will pick up the independent vote.I can’t lie; I am at the bottom of the barrel supporting Gingrich.Why didn’t the tea party unite around Perry or Bachmann? Gingrich has far more baggage than Perry and he and Bachmann were true blue.Palin and her movie and bus screwed things over.She knows she could not have won so she didn’t run and all her competition was chewed up and spit out by her fans that post here.Leaving us at the bottom of the barrel. Romney running is getting so old and someone needs to inform him he is a boring flip flop Ken doll.I want someone that will truly change the DC corruption.Perry and Bachmann would have.How insane is it that Coulter is for Romney and FR for Gingrich?The bashing of Santorum on here is unnecessary.Newt not debating unless fans can applaud is ridiculous.I don’t want applause I want to hear specific ideas on fixing the America Obama is destroying.Gingrich may lose steam like all others did;I am open to Santorum or Daniels OR SOMEONE that can act like an adult.
him whining about it and threatening to walk away if he didn’t get his way was the bad move as far as perception is concerned.. him getting the audience participation is no doubt to his benefit
My question is this??? What kind of audience was actually in attendance that would have taken that direction from NBC?
I believe they went into this debate wanting Newt to be the loser. He was not the loser, but what they wanted.
The NBC gang wanted Newt to do poorly, and they wanted to say that Santorum did better. MSN people are rooting for Santorum just as they did Bachmann at one point.
They do not really like Santorum or Bachmann, but were using both of them to try and achieve their goals.
In reality majority of MSM/Rep est have a shared goal, and that`s for Romney to be the nominee
On a radio program this morning in Chicago (wls), someone called in to say that Lincoln lost that election. Of course, the commentators weren’t smart enough to understand that it is 0bama who fancies himself as the second coming of Lincoln (and Kennedy and Roosevelt and so on).
So, yep, I’m expecting history to repeat itself in another Lincoln loss.
And then I believe we will be looking at something very akin to the second coming of Ronald Reagan.
Well said. That is exactly what happened and why we are where we are.
I like different formats. I couldn’t watch last night’s debate, so I can’t comment about that.
I like live debates with an audience.
However, I would also like a debate where just the candidates are speaking. I would agree to just get rid of the audience if they can’t cheer.
So I take it you like magic underwear?
My take on it....
The audience should IGNORE Brian Williams (or ay other moderator) and do what they want.
Sorta just like the media does to us.
What’s he going to do, throw everybody out?
Cheap little stunt by the mediots to stifle our side’s enthusiam.
Do it anyway, folks. Send them a clear message to stuff it.
Ok, I see what this is.
The Newt bashers are just looking for something they can try to attack him on.
For a moment, I thought that was meant to be a serious post.
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