Former Vice President Joe Biden encouraged the audience at the Democratic debate to give a standing ovation for Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman after he was removed from his position in the White House, while taking a swipe at conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh.
Vindman, who was instrumental in the impeachment investigation into President Trump, was escorted from the White House and was relieved of his duty on Friday afternoon, hours before the debate.
“By the way, Col. Vindman was thrown out of the White House today — walked out. I think … he should be pinning a medal on Vindman and not on Rush Limbaugh,” Biden said, which received applause from the audience.
“I think we should all stand and give Col. Vindman a show of how much we supported him. Stand up and clap for Vindman. Get up there!” he went on. “That’s who we are, we are not what Trump is.”
Trump honored Limbaugh with an invitation to his State of the Union address earlier this week and bestowed him with the Presidential Medal of Freedom award in the middle of his address to a joint session of Congress. The award came a day after Limbaugh revealed he had been diagnosed with late-stage lung cancer.
Vindman is a Purple Heart recipient and an Iraq War veteran.
