Cheering the death penalty

CHEERING THE DEATH PENALTY: Another reaction to yesterday's death penalty debate applause, this time from Jeffrey Toobin at the New Yorker:

With all due respect to the Republican candidates for President, the most memorable moment of last night’s debate had little to do with anything they said. NBC’s Brian Williams began a question to Rick Perry, the Texas governor, this way: “Your state has executed two hundred and thirty-four death-row inmates, more than any other governor in modern times.” Before Williams could continue with the question, the audience at the Reagan Library broke into raucous cheers, perhaps the loudest ovation of the night.

Debate audiences are hardly a cross-section of the country at large, and they probably represent a more partisan group than even the primary electorate. Still, it seems fair to take note of the reaction, and to ask whether at least this particular audience may be out of step with the broader public on the question of the death penalty. 

My thoughts on the incident here and here.