WASHINGTON (AP) — Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley says he didn’t mean to say people are worse off than four years ago when he made that remark earlier this week.

O’Malley says he was, quote, “word-spliced” after appearing on CBS’ “Face the Nation.”

The Democratic governor was asked if he could honestly say people are better off, and the governor answered, “No, but that’s not the question of this election.”

Appearing Friday on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe,” O’Malley said Americans are indeed doing better.

He says, quote, “Yes, of course we’re doing better when America is creating jobs, and we are creating jobs.”

O’Malley adds that the U.S. has not recovered all the jobs lost during the recession, and says that is what he was talking about in the first place.