'I don't hold public office now' Biden says he didn't call for troops to respond to Portland riots

Former Vice President Joe Biden, the Democratic nominee for president, said on the debate stage Tuesday night that he didn't call the Democratic governor of Oregon or mayor of Portland to urge them to bring in the National Guard to stop the rioting because he's not a public official right now.

"I don't hold public office now," Biden said. "I am a former vice president. I made it clear in my public statements that the violence should be prosecuted."

Rioting has taken place in Portland since the death of George Floyd months ago. Earlier this month, Gov. Kate Brown maintained that she was not going to deploy the National Guard to Portland to respond to the violence. 

When pressed on why he didn't call for the Democratic governor in Oregon to send the National Guard to Portland, Biden said the state's elected officials "can in fact take care of it if you just stay out of the way."

Trump jumped in and said, "Oh really? I sent in the U.S. marshals to get the killer in the middle of the street — they shot him."