ABC moderator George Stephanopoulos started Friday night’s Democratic presidential debate with a bang. He went straight to Joe Biden and asked him about his two top rivals, Bernie Sanders and Pete Buttigieg, and why they aren’t the best candidate for president. As far as Buttigieg was concerned, Biden pulled no punches.

Biden said, “Mayor Buttigieg is a great guy and a real patriot … [but] he was the mayor of a small city but has not demonstrated the ability to get a broad scope of support including among African Americans and Latinos.” This echoes criticisms Biden has made in recent days since Buttigieg crushed Biden in the Iowa caucuses. Biden blasted the former South Bend, Indiana, mayor, saying, “I do believe it’s a risk, to be just straight up with you, for this party to nominate someone who’s never held an office higher than a mayor of 100,000 people in Indiana.”