Democratic 2020 U.S. presidential candidates entrepreneur Andrew Yang, former South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg, Senator Elizabeth Warren, former Vice President Joe Biden, Senator Bernie Sanders, Senator Amy Klobuchar and billionaire activist Tom Steyer look on as audience members stand in support of Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman after a request from former Vice President Biden during the eighth Democratic 2020 presidential debate at Saint Anselm College in Manchester, New Hampshire, U.S., February 7, 2020. Photo by Brian Snyder/Reuters
Biden encourages debate crowd to stand for Col. Vindman
Former Vice President Joe Biden encouraged the crowd at Friday's Democratic presidential debate to give a standing ovation to Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman after President Donald Trump ousted him in retribution for his testimony during House impeachment proceedings.
Biden declared Friday that Trump "should be pinning a medal on Vindman, not Rush Limbaugh," the far-right radio personality with whom Trump awarded the Medal of Freedom on Tuesday.
The ovation for Vindman punctuated a discussion that started with mention of Trump's efforts to have Biden and his son Hunter investigated by Ukraine officials. That move was the crux of the impeachment case against Trump.
Former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg defended the Bidens. "We are not going to let them change the subject," he said. "This is not about Vice President Biden or Hunter Biden. This is about abuse of power by the president."
By — Associated Press
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