“If the audience can’t participate, then why have an audience? Newt is right.”
No, he is wrong. Here is why: What if a bunch of Obama supporters showed up chanting their dear leaders latest slogan, or raucously supported a different candidate? The same “free speech” rules apply.
The debate was a private forum, and NBC had the right to ask the audience to be respectful of that. I was a little surprised how compliant they were as an audience, but still they’ve got the right to do so.
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.