Joe Biden came to Barack Obama¡¯s defense Thursday after Democratic presidential candidates¡¯ sharp critiques of the popular former president¡¯s legacy during the second presidential debate.

¡°I was a little surprised at how much incoming there was about Barack, about the president,¡± Biden told reporters Thursday in Detroit. ¡°I¡¯m proud of having served with him, I¡¯m proud of the job he did, I don¡¯t think there¡¯s anything he has to apologize for. And it kind of surprised me, the degree of the criticism.¡±

Biden, who held his ground and fought to solidify his front-runner status in Wednesday¡¯s debate, said he hoped the next round would focus on President Donald Trump, whom all the candidates hope to defeat in November 2020.