Rep debates: Free speech stifled?

At the last three GOP presidential debates, the crowd has cheered for executions, screamed out that a man without health insurance should be left to die and booed a gay soldier.

Dartmouth is trying to keep Tuesday night’s Washington Post/Bloomberg debate from continuing that pattern.

In an editorial Friday, the student newspaper warned debate spectators about the “embarrassing incidents of audience misbehavior” at the last three debates and urged those attending to keep quiet while the TV lights are on.

“It would be an enormous black eye for the college and a damning indictment of our maturity and political culture if Dartmouth’s debate were to be characterized by another inappropriate outburst, no matter its ideological origin,” the paper wrote.

Organizers are hoping that a smaller, more controlled audience will achieve that goal.

..more

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1011/65643.html

Note: Dartmouth's newspaper said they [the school] wouldnt
tolerate interference. So, do you think this was done by the school, or the campaigns on purpose? The first "comment" makes that accusation, despite not being stated in the article.

BG: You've been the DA lately, whats your take on this? Partisan antics?

Originally posted by: [-NM-] -SS-

BG: You've been the DA lately, whats your take on this? Partisan antics?

You raise a good question. The answer should be in the results. Have these actions helped or hurt? Also are they worried about escalation?

If I had to pick one I would say it was the GOP asking for support from the school and the school agreeing thinking it was more about focus on the debate then on limiting free speech.

If it becomes a free for all the debates would be useless. Most of the candidates ( ala Perry) are quite able to trip themselves up without help from the audience.

Interesting question. Does it further the debate process by making the focus on the candidates or does it create a vacuum where candidates can deliver a sound bite without challenge? How high is the risk of people being planted just to disrupt vs people being planted to ask talking points?

>>>>>>>>

Edit - I am guessing that DA meant either douchey asshole or delightfully analytical.
Post edited by Bigguns 93 at 10/12/2011 12:38:24 PM

Anyone catch the round table. Romney was great. Perry was not!
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"You get more with kind words and a gun than you do with just kind words"

Maybe we'd get something to replace "don't taze me bro!" if they'd stop trying to suppress freedom of expression.

BG: DA = Devil's Advocate.

I am only ruthless to snide, obnoxious, lying, or hypocritical assholes. You haven't ever been that way towards me to date.

Golden rule in effect for you and other select posters.

They should randomly shout out "YOU LIE" whenever Romney opens his mouth. To make them look mature, and open to dialogue, of course.

Originally posted by: Coba|t
They should randomly shout out "YOU LIE" whenever Romney opens his mouth. To make them look mature, and open to dialogue, of course.

I would find that to be highly amusing.

_________________
"I supported President Lincoln. I believed his war policy would be the only way to save the country, but I see my mistake. I visited Washington a few weeks ago, and I saw the corruption of the present administration - and so long as Abraham Lincoln and his Cabinet are in power, so long will war continue. And for what? For the preservation of the Constitution and the Union? No, but for the sake of politicians and government contractors." J.P. Morgan, American financier and banker, 1864

booed a gay soldier.

instantly invalidates the article as partisan garbage. the soldier was not booed, his question was.
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Originally posted by: the wierdo
There's nothing like a little child molestation to bring people together and rise above the partisanship

Originally posted by: Pudd¿nheäd
ive been wanting coq for some time now, and im goin for it on sunday!

Originally posted by: Aria Giovanni.pZ
kok. i want kok. lots of kok.