Pence goes after Biden for saying 'I'm the vice president' at the Democratic debate

WASHINGTON-- Vice President Mike Pence took a jab at Joe Biden on Friday by correcting a statement his predecessor made in the prior night’s Democratic debate.

During a testy back and forth between ABC News moderator Jorge Ramos and Biden on Barack Obama’s deportation record, Ramos asked the former vice president, “Did you make a mistake with those deportations?”

Biden responded that Obama “did the best thing that was able to be done,” prompting a response Ramos asking, “How about you?”

“I'm the vice president of the United States,” Biden stated.

Addressing House Republicans in Baltimore at the GOP retreat, Pence took that declaration head-on.

“Before I lost interest, I was trying to keep track of what was going on,” Pence said. But not before he heard Biden’s response.

“I heard my predecessor said that, he was answering a question about his years in the White House and he said ‘I’m the vice president of the United States,’” he recalled.

“So let me be clear, I am the vice president of the United States,” Pence continued, prompting an enthusiastic response from the crowd.

That misstatement was one of a few during the debate for Biden, including when he accidentally referred to senator Bernie Sanders as "president" rather than a senator.

Pence also told the Republican crowd that he and President Donald Trump are "absolutely committed to seeing a Republican majority back in the United States House of Representatives in 2020" and emphasized the need to "fight everyday through election day for a Republican victory."

The Vice President also criticized former Congressman Beto O'Rourke passionate declaration that “Hell, yes, we’re going to take your AR-15, your AK-47,” during a discussion of gun control at the debate.

Pence responded it wasn't "just gun control, you had leading candidates for the highest office in the land talking about taking firearms away from law-abiding citizens.”

“Well, the American people deserve to know this president, this vice president, and these House Republicans will always stand for the Second Amendment to keep and bear arms,” he reiterated.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Pence goes after Biden for saying 'I'm the vice president'