In an appearance Friday afternoon on Fox News, Rick Santorum responded to one of the most controversial moments from Thursday night’s debate: When a few audience members could be heard booing a gay soldier serving overseas in Iraq, who asked via YouTube video whether the candidates would roll back the progress made by gay soldiers who are now able to serve openly.
Megyn Kelly showed Santorum the video clip from the debate, showing the soldier asking his question on the large screen in the auditorium, then the booing of some unidentified audience members, and Santorum beginning to answer the question. (Neither Santorum, nor any of the other candidates, acknowledged or responded to the booing of the soldier.)
“So there a couple of boos in the audience — I mean, there were 5,000 people there,” Kelly said. “And now some people are criticizing you for not responding to it, and Republicans for, you know, booing a gay soldier. Your response?”
“Yeah, well, I condemn the people who booed that gay soldier,” said Santorum. “That soldier is serving our country, I thank him for his service to our country. I’m sure he’s doing an excellent job. I hope he is safe, and I hope he returns safely, and does his mission well.
“I have to admit, I seriously did not hear those boos. Had I heard them, I certainly would have commented on them. But as you know, when you’re in that sort of environment, you’re focused on the question and formulating your answer. And I just didn’t hear those couple of boos that were out there.
But certainly, had I, I would have said that that was — I would have said, don’t do that, this man is serving our country, and we are to thank him for his service.”
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