CNN: No cheering, no booing at GOP debate

The New York Times reported Tuesday that the debate moderator, Jake Tapper, will instruct the audience to remain silent during the actual debate, a departure from the first debate hosted by Fox News in August, which did not have such a rule.

The development is reminiscent of a GOP primary debate hosted by NBC News in 2012, where a similar rule was implemented to the irritation of Newt Gingrich, whose candidacy had benefited from delivering crowd-pleasing performances at previous debates.

At those debates, Gingrich lashed out at moderators who had asked him critical questions, earning him roars of applause from an audience of Republican voters, most of whom were deeply skeptical of the news media.

Afterwards, NBC implemented a no-noise rule for a debate in January and Gingrich’s performance came across to many as muted.

After that event, Gingrich said he would demand that future debate hosts allow the audience to cheer. “We’re going to serve notice on future debates,” he told Fox News after the NBC debate. “We’re just not going to allow that to happen. That’s wrong. The media doesn’t control free speech. People ought to be allowed to applaud if they want to.”

Now, the candidates with perhaps the most to lose from CNN’s own rule of silence are front-runner Donald Trump and those hoping to bring him down with a verbal punch.

Trump’s campaign has thrived in large part due to his heightened showmanship at live events before massive crowds who cheer on his every word. Without the positive and loud enforcement from a friendly audience, Trump’s performance may be perceived by viewers at home as having lost its edge.

It may also hurt the candidates who are expected to confront Trump, like Jeb Bush and Carly Fiorina, who are under pressure by donors to prove they are viable candidates. An otherwise well-timed swipe from them may appear to miss the mark if it’s greeted by silence from the audience.

CNN’s debate takes place on Wednesday.