Trump takes credit for Pence VP debate performance

Donald Trump on Wednesday took credit for choosing Mike Pence as his running mate following the Indiana governor’s strong performance at Tuesday night’s vice presidential debate.

{mosads}At a rally in Henderson, Nev., the GOP presidential nominee heaped praise on Pence, saying he was “cool” and “smart” as he faced Hillary Clinton’s running mate, Tim Kaine.

“I’d argue that Mike Pence did an incredible job,” Trump said. “And I’m getting a lot of credit because that was my first so-called choice, that was my first hire, as we would say in Las Vegas.”

“I’d argue that Mike had the single most decisive victory in the history of vice presidential debates,” he added.

Pence and Kaine squared off in the first and only vice presidential debate of the year and traded barbs over a number issues. A CNN/ORC instant poll found viewers declaring Pence the winner after Kaine repeatedly interrupted the Republican governor.

In a tweet Wednesday morning, Trump lashed out at Kaine, a senator from Virginia, for his “constant interruptions.”

“The constant interruptions last night by Tim Kaine should not have been allowed. Mike Pence won big!,” Trump tweeted.

According to The Hill’s count, Kaine interrupted Pence and moderator Elaine Quijano of CBS News 70 times during the 90-minute bout in Farmville, Va. The Republican National Committee sent an email to reporters following the debate with the same tally of interruptions.

At last week’s presidential debate, Trump faced similar criticism for interruptions, talking over Clinton 51 times.