Debate rivals assail Warren as she joins Democrats' top rank

Elizabeth Warren repeatedly came under attack during the Democratic presidential debate as rivals accused the Massachusetts senator of ducking questions about the cost of Medicare for All and her signature wealth tax plan in an attempt to derail her rising campaign.

The pile-on Tuesday reinforced her new status as a front-runner in the contest to take on President Donald Trump next year.

With first state primaries rapidly approaching, her many challengers have dwindling opportunities to emerge as powerful alternatives to the progressive agenda she's championing.

The night's confrontations were mostly fought on familiar terrain for the Democrats, who have spent months sparring over the future of health care with former Vice President Joe Biden and other moderates pressing for a measured approach while Warren and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders call for a dramatic, government-funded overhaul of the insurance market.

Still, unlike Sanders, Warren refused to say whether she would raise taxes on the middle class to pay for a Medicare for All universal health insurance plan a stance that's increasingly difficult to maintain given her more prominent status.

Her rivals seized on the opportunity to pounce.

"I appreciate Elizabeth's work but, again, the difference between a plan and a pipe dream is something you can actually get done," said Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar.

Pete Buttigieg, the mayor of South Bend, Indiana, added: "We heard it tonight. A 'yes' or 'no' question that didn't get a 'yes' or 'no' answer."
Warren responded, "I don't just want to push Trump off of Twitter. I want to push him out of the White House."
"Now you see why they have no choice but to push a totally illegal & absurd Impeachment of one of the most successful Presidents!"
He was applauded when he thanked supporters and rivals for their good wishes and declared, "I'm feeling great."
That prompted Buttigieg, himself a veteran, to respond: "What we are doing or what we were doing in Syria was keeping our word."
"It is undermining the honour of our soldiers. You take away the honour of our soldiers, you might as well go after their body armour next."
On Sunday, Biden had vowed that "no one in my family will have an office in the White House, will sit in on meetings as if they're a Cabinet member, will in fact have any business relationship with anyone that relates to a foreign corporation or a foreign country."
CNN anchor Anderson Cooper asked, "If it's not OK for a president's family to be involved in foreign businesses, why was it OK for your son when you were vice president?"
Biden faltered some before offering, "My son did nothing wrong, I did nothing wrong."