Gingrich on silent debate: 'It was almost silly

During Monday's Republican debate heading into the Florida primary, many of the readers who participated in the THE BLAZE's live chat noted how disturbingly quiet the audience was. There were no whoops and hollers or boos, a distinction from past debates. There were some claps, but otherwise, silence.

Newt Gingrich said Tuesday morning on Fox News that in upcoming debates "we won’t tolerate — we’re just not going to allow that to happen." He said in "retrospect" he wishes he "had protested when Brian Williams took [the crowd] out of it because I think it’s wrong." Williams, anchor of NBC's "Nightly News," moderated the debate.

Gingrich's rise as a frontrunner in the race is largely credited to his feisty performances at the debates. "People ought to be able to applaud if they want to. It was almost silly," he said.

h/t The Hill