--- description: Clinton said Sanders had voted with the NRA title: Democratic Debate: Clinton Hits Bernie Sanders on Guns image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt7cc847423529dd89/69887982f887dc7050e94304/democratic-debate-clinton-sanders-3.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [Politics](/section/politics/) ## Politics Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close * [2016 Election](/tag/2016-election/) ## 2016 Election Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # Hillary Clinton Hits Bernie Sanders Hard on Guns by [Maya Rhodan](/author/maya-rhodan/) ## Maya Rhodan Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Jan 18, 2016 2:54 AM CUT  Democratic U.S. presidential candidate and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton speaks as rival U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders listens at the NBC - YouTube Democratic presidential debate at the Gaillard Center in Charleston, S.C. on Jan. 17, 2016. Democratic U.S. presidential candidate and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton speaks as rival U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders listens at the NBC - YouTube Democratic presidential debate at the Gaillard Center in Charleston, S.C. on Jan. 17, 2016.Randall Hill—Reuters by [Maya Rhodan](/author/maya-rhodan/) ## Maya Rhodan Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Jan 18, 2016 2:54 AM CUT Former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton slammed Senator Bernie Sanders’ [position on guns](http://time.com/4183716/bernie-sanders-gun-manufacturer-immunity/ "undefined") during [Sunday night’s Democratic primary debate](http://time.com/4183625/democratic-debate-hillary-clinton-bernie-sanders/ "undefined"). The conversation shifted early in the [debate ](http://time.com/4181009/democratic-debate-watch-live-stream-free-online/ "undefined")to gun violence — an issue all too familiar to the people of Charleston, where nine black parishioners were gunned down during a Bible-study class last year just a block from the site of the debate. Sanders was questioned about his position on gun manufacturers, an issue on which Clinton has targeted him throughout the campaign. NBC host Lester Holt asked Sanders why he changed his position on immunity for gun manufacturers shortly before the evening’s debate. Sanders had come out in support of a bill that [increases gun manufacturers’ accountability](http://time.com/4183716/bernie-sanders-gun-manufacturer-immunity/ "undefined"), but said he would still want to support “mom-and-pop” gun stores. Sanders defended his position at the debate, saying he’s consistently received a “D-minus” score from the National Rifle Association, he supports an “instant background check” for gun purchases, and he supported President Obama’s targeting of the so-called gun-show loophole in his recent executive actions. “We have seen in this city a horrendous tragedy of a crazed person praying with people and then coming out and shooting nine people,” Sanders said. “This should not be a political issue. What we should be doing is working together.” But this is politics: gun control is one of the hottest political issues of the 2016 primary. And Clinton saw Sanders’ response as an opportunity to attack his record on guns. “I have made it clear based on Senator Sanders’ own record that he has voted with the NRA, with the gun lobby numerous times,” she said before listing Sanders’ votes on the Brady bill, loopholes in background checks, manufacturer immunity and research on guns. “Let’s not forget what this is about — 90 people a day die from gun violence in our country. That’s 33,000 people a year.” “I am pleased to hear that Senator Sanders has changed his position on immunity, and I look forward to him joining with those members of Congress who have already introduced legislation,” she said. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/4183978/democratic-debate-hillary-clinton-bernie-sanders-guns/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/4183978/democratic-debate-hillary-clinton-bernie-sanders-guns/"},"headline":"Hillary Clinton Hits Bernie Sanders Hard on Guns","datePublished":"2016-01-18T02:54:10.000Z","dateModified":"2026-02-22T14:12:30.705Z","description":"Clinton said Sanders had voted with the NRA","url":"https://time.com/4183978/democratic-debate-hillary-clinton-bernie-sanders-guns/","keywords":["2016 Election","Hillary Clinton","2016 Election topic","Gun Violence","Guns","NRA","Bernie Sanders"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt7cc847423529dd89/69887982f887dc7050e94304/democratic-debate-clinton-sanders-3.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Maya Rhodan","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/maya-rhodan/"}],"articleSection":"Politics","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt7cc847423529dd89/69887982f887dc7050e94304/democratic-debate-clinton-sanders-3.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"Democratic U.S. presidential candidate and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton speaks as rival U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders listens at the NBC News - YouTube Democratic presidential candidates debate in Charleston, South Carolina January 17, 2016. 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