If you had to put your money on topics for a Democratic presidential primary debate in 2019, no one would fault you for omitting Bing.com.

But thanks to Andrew Yang, the web search engine launched by Microsoft in 2009 became a quirky hot topic during Tuesday’s debate in Ohio.

Yang, who has worked as a tech entrepreneur, referenced Bing while answering a question during the CNN and New York Times debate about the proper level of oversight for tech companies, including Facebook and Twitter.

“We also have to be realistic that competition doesn’t solve all of the problems,” said Yang, 44. “It’s not like any of us wants to use the fourth best navigation app, that would be like cruel and unusual punishment. There’s a reason why no one is using Bing today.”

A slow “ooh” began to rise up from the audience.

“Sorry, Microsoft, it’s true,” he said.

YANG on Big Tech: It’s not like any of us wants to use the 4th best navigation app… there’s a reason why no one is using Bing today… Sorry Microsoft, it’s true. pic.twitter.com/nPFntPaBNa — Dan Diamond (@ddiamond) October 16, 2019

On Twitter, one of the social networks that candidates talked about during the discourse about tech oversight, Yang’s Bing remark inspired a swift trade in Bing jokes, Bing defenses and general Bing content. Sure enough, Bing became a trending topic.

Overall, in a Google-dominant world, it was a pretty big night for Bing, which had the effect of undermining some of Yang’s supporting point.

Of course, a sea of jokes ensued about people Googling Bing, Yang not showing up in Bing searches and retaliation against the presidential candidate from Bill Gates.

Bing just got dunked on, feel free to google it tomorrow — Aparna Nancherla (@aparnapkin) October 16, 2019

Millions of people are going on Google to find out what Bing is.#DemocraticDebate — Charlotte Clymer🏳️‍🌈 (@cmclymer) October 16, 2019

Andrew Yang is about to get cancelled by Bill Gates pic.twitter.com/OLP6J75SIs — Yashar Ali 🐘 (@yashar) October 16, 2019

bing is unfairly maligned — Ashley Feinberg (@ashleyfeinberg) October 16, 2019

*Googling Bing* — MJ Lee (@mj_lee) October 16, 2019

Bing was minding it's own business not being used by anybody and Andrew Yang showed up with the strap! #DemDebate #DemocraticDebate pic.twitter.com/pqH9aYJnaS — Travon Free (@Travon) October 16, 2019

The problem with Yang’s answer is that, without the MSFT anti-trust case, Bing might actually be the only search engine around right now. — Nicholas Thompson (@nxthompson) October 16, 2019

A bing joke in 2019 pic.twitter.com/OgZTqVxsDn — Akilah Hughes (@AkilahObviously) October 16, 2019

Yang unleashes a brutal smackdown on Bing pic.twitter.com/4aVCV1scA5 — Noah Smith 🐇 (@Noahpinion) October 16, 2019

yang: aint nobody using Bing!



microsoft: pic.twitter.com/OOJx6h4App — tracy s. rumpkins (@brokeymcpoverty) October 16, 2019

Biggest burn of the night from Andrew Yang: "There is a reason no one is using Bing today." — Shannon Pettypiece (@spettypi) October 16, 2019

Bing is the MySpace of this debate — Molly Jong-Fast (@MollyJongFast) October 16, 2019

Bill Gates manually removing Andrew Yang from Bing searches as we speak. It's ok. Nobody will notice. — Darren Wong🧢 (@darrenmwong) October 16, 2019

Have a tip? Amy Kuperinsky may be reached at akuperinsky@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @AmyKup or on Facebook.

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