At GOP Debate, Rick Santorum Says He Respects The Democratic Party Because 'They Fight'

During the Fox Business Network presidential debate, moderators asked the Republican presidential candidates who in the Democratic Party they respect. While Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal deflected the question and led his fellow White House hopefuls to do the same, former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum ultimately circled back and answered the question, and then some.

"You know who I respect in the Democratic Party?" he asked as his voice crept to a louder tone. "You know why I respect them? Because they fight!" the last word straddling a full-fledged yell, his voice cracking ever so slightly. "Because they're not willing to back down and they're willing to stand up and fight and win. And so I respect them because they are willing to take it to us!"

While Santorum did not answer the question directly by naming a single member of his rival party whom he respects, his highlight evoked Howard Dean's moment 11 years ago when the former Vermont governor was on the Democratic presidential campaign trail in Iowa. Back then, Dean was so excited about his polling numbers, he excitedly yelled, "We're going to Washington, D.C., to take back the White House!" before screaming triumphantly, "YEEEAAAHHHHH!"

Santorum, who has been consistently polling low among his fellow Republican White House hopefuls, said Monday that he had come down with a case of laryngitis, which could have explained his vocal tone during his outburst. But regardless of the ailment, he suggested Monday in a tweet that he expected to outperform his rivals in similar fashion to Michael Jordan during the 1997 NBA Finals, when the basketball luminary managed to turn in a mammoth game despite suffering from the flu and a high fever.

Santorum has been busy campaigning across the country, but he canceled a Monday event in Michigan for reasons that were not immediately available. The event, a fundraiser in the western portion of the state in Grandville, was a dinner at a country club charging up to $250 per person or $400 per couple.