Did Santorum almost use the "N" word in a speech while talking about Obama?

Did Santorum almost drop the 'N' word while talking about the President Obama

Checkout this clip of the Presidential candidate’s Janesville, Wisconsin, speech from Tuesday night.  If he wasn't trying to say the "N" word I don't know what he was trying to say .  

 I would like to hear someone defend this and say that he wasn't about to say the N word.