The key to a orderly town hall meeting, it seems, is a closed door. The Florida Alliance for Retired Americans turned its annual healthcare forum into a ticketed event mostly for its members, ensuring a friendly audience for U.S. Reps. Alcee Hastings of Miramar and Robert Wexler of Boca Raton.

``The seniors and the veterans built this country, and no one is going to come in here, disrupt us and embarrass us or take away our democracy,'' said Tony Fransetta, president of the liberal, union-affiliated group.

But outside the closed doors of the South County Civic Center was the hollering, finger-pointing and sign-waving that has defined public meetings on health care this month as Congress contemplates sweeping reforms.

``No Obamacare! Free market. Free America,'' shouted Everett Wilkinson, chairman of the South Florida Tea Party, over a bullhorn. ``Yes we will!'' responded a chorus of healthcare reform supporters.

People on both sides of the debate intermingled in the designated ``free speech areas'' outside the building, making it difficult to break down the turnout. Democrats argued with Republicans, small business owners jousted with veterans, and disabled people in wheelchairs proudly displayed their medical bills on their chests. There were elderly people in orthopedic shoes and children holding bags of crackers.

Jonathan Ligonde, a 25-year-old carrying a motorcycle helmet, did his best to convert Russel Hoffman.

``You can't argue with competition,'' Ligonde said, arguing that a government-run plan would force private insurers to lower costs. Hoffman, a 40-year-old former Marine, simply pointed to his T-shirt of a large, reptilian ``Fedzilla'' and said, ``But you can't compete with this guy.''

The atmosphere outside the town hall resembled a county fair. People carried American flags as well as umbrellas to shield them from the sun. A high school marching band played upbeat tunes. A handful of seniors sat in lawn chairs in the shade, their placards flapping against their tuna fish sandwiches.

But the spirited conversations degenerated as people trying to enter the town hall meeting were turned away and the afternoon temperature climbed. The building had room for only 500 people.

``There was no room for debate,'' said Diane Wichansky, a Boca Raton retiree, who opposes a healthcare overhaul. ``It was a handpicked audience, with just a few of us on one side who managed to get in.''

Wilkinson, of the Tea Party organization, filed a police report saying he had been ``battered'' by a handful of healthcare reform supporters. Sheriff's deputies circled nervously as a retired policeman from Sunny Isles screamed near-profanities in the face of a burly Obama supporter clad in a sleeveless shirt. ``Lies! Lies Lies!'' shouted those favoring a healthcare overhaul.

Inside, Fransetta laid down the rules like a teacher on the first day of school: Stay in your seats. All questions must be in writing. Three warnings, and you're out of here.

The audience obeyed, though many stood and applauded several times during the speeches by Wexler and Hastings. At a time when some Democrats are retreating from agovernment-run plan, both congressmen said they support a ``robust public option.''

Wexler compared such a plan to Medicare and the Veterans Administration, federal agencies that provide health benefits to most of the seniors in the room. He also tried to dispel what he described as ``false and outrageous claims'' about the legislation, arguing that it would not cover illegal immigrants or mandate ``death panels.''

He also stressed that the legislation would prevent insurers from rejecting people with pre-existing health problems.

``I will not back away from my unequivocal commitment to deliver comprehensive reform,'' Wexler said. ``The status quo is totally not acceptable and will strangle our economy if we do nothing.''

Hastings sounded an optimistic note even though polls show support for Obama and his healthcare agenda are eroding.

``You know something? We're going to get a bill,'' he said. ``After all these years of talk, it's time for action already.''

In Washington, U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Weston joined President Barack Obama at a rally broadcast on television, radio and the Internet to fire up the Democratic activists who helped him win the White House.

She didn't discuss details but said it was critical that ``every American have quality affordable coverage that can not be taken away from them.'' She urged Obama supporters to go on the offensive.

``We have to be ready for the defenders of the status quo who will continue to ratchet up the volume and pull out all the stops,'' she said. ``We need you to help the American people see past the distortions and past the scare tactics.''

Obama harkened back to his long shot bid for the presidency and urged his supporters to keep forging ahead.

``We've got more work to do and we've got more promises to keep, and one of those promises is to achieve quality, affordable healthcare for every single American,'' he said. Miami Herald staff writer Lesley Clark contributed to this report.