“Is Gingrich intending to encourage the audience to participate even if that is against the rules?”
You mean the rules designed to not allow the American public to see how other Americans view Newt? You mean the rules designed to make Rpeublicans in their debates seem boring? Those rules? Just who the Hell wants to obey those rules?
Newt asks as a perfectly valid question, and since you have such a strong opinion about it why don’t you answer it: Why have an audience if they are not there to participate in any way and provide feedback?
I’ll tell you why. The media wants Republicans to appear dull and boring and to show the audience as unaccepting of them by being quiet. If Obama was on stage the media would encourage applause to make him appear exciting and accepted by the audience.
P.S. This is typical tyrannical behavior by the extreme left-wingers. It’s beent hat way for decades. Whena dictator speaks the applause goes on for minutes as no one wants to be the first to stop applauding for fear of being singled out and killed. If someone else speaks no one is allowed to applaud for the same reason.
Here you are wanting no one to applaud for Republicans, citing “rules”. Well, those are the same rules tyrants use to control their populace.
We will not be silenced!