It’s hard to articulate, but it’s that classing of a worthy foe or something. Like people say “say what you will about x but he does y good” (something said by someone about Rommel by Patton (at least in his movie))in a way that’s meant to sound begrudging but just makes them sound like they want to be them if you get me
Witness it once in a blue moon
It’s internet tough guy jackoffery. Chuds see themselves as specops Spartan warriors (be they space child soldiers or noncey Hellenistic ones) with pretentious warrior codes, and liberals see themselves as smirking Adults In The Room that Make the Hard Decisions and Get Shit Done, and both such groups can do performative “respect” when gladhanding each other, but in both cases also don’t extend that respect toward leftists.