Washington(CNN) Rick Santorum wants you to compare him to Hillary Clinton -- by searching his name on the Internet.
Nothing crazy about that, right? Right -- up to a point. Here's the thing: In making his request, Santorum on Thursday night uttered the single phrase so many believed would never, ever escape his lips.
"Google Rick Santorum," the former Pennsylvania senator told viewers of the Fox Business Network's undercard debate.
Who's running for president?
Ted Cruz, Donald Trump, John Kasich, Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders,
Businessman Donald Trump
announced June 16 at his Trump Tower in New York City that he is seeking the Republican presidential nomination. This ends more than two decades of flirting with the idea of running for the White House.
"So, ladies and gentlemen, I am officially running for president of the United States, and we are going to make our country great again," Trump told the crowd at his announcement.
Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas has made a name for himself in the Senate, solidifying his brand as a conservative firebrand willing to take on the GOP's establishment. He
announced he was seeking the Republican presidential nomination in a speech on March 23.
"These are all of our stories," Cruz told the audience at Liberty University in Virginia. "These are who we are as Americans. And yet for so many Americans, the promise of America seems more and more distant."
Ohio Gov. John Kasich joined the Republican field July 21 as he formally announced his White House bid.
"I am here to ask you for your prayers, for your support ... because I have decided to run for president of the United States," Kasich told his kickoff rally at the Ohio State University.
Hillary Clinton
launched her presidential bid on April 12 through a video message on social media. The former first lady, senator and secretary of state is considered the front-runner among possible Democratic candidates.
"Everyday Americans need a champion, and I want to be that champion -- so you can do more than just get by -- you can get ahead. And stay ahead," she said in her announcement video. "Because when families are strong, America is strong. So I'm hitting the road to earn your vote, because it's your time. And I hope you'll join me on this journey."
Sen. Bernie Sanders, an independent from Vermont who caucuses with Democrats, announced his run in an email to supporters on April 30. He has said the United States needs a "political revolution" of working-class Americans to take back control of the government from billionaires.
"This great nation and its government belong to all of the people and not to a handful of billionaires, their super PACs and their lobbyists," Sanders said at a rally in Vermont on May 26.
A full understanding of the subsequent uproar requires familiarizing yourself with a few things.
To start, you'd have to search for "Santorum" on Google. Sandwiching his Wikipedia bio page are two links, both with different fake definitions for his surname -- neither of which are fit for polite conversation.
The issue has followed Santorum since 2003 after he compared the prospect of same-sex relationships to bestiality. Marriage, he said, had never included things like "man on child, man on dog, or whatever the case may be."
Cue the sex columnist Dan Savage, who is gay, and his unique, lasting protest art. In response to the senator's comment, Savage floated a very specific, new definition for "Santorum." Using a neat algorithmic trick, the term became a top Google search result.
Santorum would appeal to the company, asking them in 2011 to filter the graphic returns.
But the company refused, telling Politico at the time that individuals who want "content removed from the Internet should contact the webmaster of the page directly." Santorum's Google problem does not appear to occur if you search for his full name: "Rick Santorum." But it's a different story if you stick only to the last name.
At present, certain "safe search" settings will weed out Savage's definition. But for most users, the alternate term still features.