--- title: Democratic Debate: Clinton Hits Bernie Sanders on Guns description: Clinton said Sanders had voted with the NRA canonical: https://time.com/4183978/democratic-debate-hillary-clinton-bernie-sanders-guns/ author: Maya Rhodan article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2016-01-18T02:54:10.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-10-05T08:41:28.073Z article:section: Politics og:title: Democratic Debate: Clinton Hits Bernie Sanders on Guns og:description: Clinton said Sanders had voted with the NRA og:url: https://time.com/4183978/democratic-debate-hillary-clinton-bernie-sanders-guns/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt7cc847423529dd89/69887982f887dc7050e94304/democratic-debate-clinton-sanders-3.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 2560 og:image:height: 1440 og:image:alt: 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. R og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Democratic Debate: Clinton Hits Bernie Sanders on Guns twitter:description: Clinton said Sanders had voted with the NRA twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt7cc847423529dd89/69887982f887dc7050e94304/democratic-debate-clinton-sanders-3.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Hillary Clinton Hits Bernie Sanders Hard on Guns > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: September 2026. ## TIME D.C. Brief: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition D.C. Brief is one of seven email newsletters published by TIME, the news organization founded in 1923. Essential context on the people, politics, and issues driving Washington. D.C. Brief goes beyond the Washington headlines to explain the politics, personalities and power dynamics shaping what happens next. 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It is written by a TIME senior correspondent who covers the capital full time. #### Who writes TIME's D.C. Brief? Philip Elliott, a senior correspondent at TIME, writes D.C. Brief. #### Is D.C. Brief free? Yes. D.C. Brief is free at time.com/newsletters. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3/newsletters?i=3711373f-9341-4b49-8a4d-586a94ee68ae&cr=time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3-v1) ## Video: Democratic Debate: Bernie Sanders on Gun Control [Watch (HLS stream): Democratic Debate: Bernie Sanders on Gun Control](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/FCxdbcut.m3u8) (2:11)  _Published 2016-01-18. Sanders on Gun Control_ by [Maya Rhodan](https://time.com/author/maya-rhodan/) ## Maya Rhodan Jan 18, 2016 2:54 AM UTC by [Maya Rhodan](https://time.com/author/maya-rhodan/) ## Maya Rhodan Jan 18, 2016 2:54 AM UTC Former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton slammed Senator Bernie Sanders’ [position on guns](http://time.com/4183716/bernie-sanders-gun-manufacturer-immunity/) during [Sunday night’s Democratic primary debate](http://time.com/4183625/democratic-debate-hillary-clinton-bernie-sanders/). The conversation shifted early in the [debate ](http://time.com/4181009/democratic-debate-watch-live-stream-free-online/)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/), 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. ## Transcript Right before the debate you changed your position on immunity from law suits for gun manufacturers, can you tell us why? << Well, I think Secretary Clinton knows that what she says is very disingenuous. I have a D minus voting record from the NRA. I was in 1988, there were three candidates running for congress in the the state of Vermont. I stood up to the gun lobby And came out and maintain the position that in this country we should not be selling military style assault weapons. I have supported from day one and instant background check to make certain that people who should have not guns, do not have guns and that includes people with criminal backgrounds. People who are mentally unstable. I support what President Obama is doing in terms of trying to close the gun show loopholes and I think that it should be a federal crime if people act as store men. We have seen in this city a horrendous tragedy of a crazed person praying. With people and then coming out and shooting nine people. This should not be a political issue. What we should be doing is working together. And by the way, it's a Senator from a rural state that has virtually no gun control. I believe that I am in an excellent position to bring people together to fight for sensible concept [ CROSSTALK ] The question that you did your changed your position On immunity for gun manufacturers so can you answer the question [ UNKNOWN ]? What I have said is that the gun manufacturers liability bill had some good provisions. Among other things we prohibited ammunition that would have killed cops who had protection on. We had child safety protection on guns in that legislation And what we also say, is a small mom and pop gun shop who sells a gun legally to somebody should not be held liable if somebody does something terrible with that gun. What I said is I would relook at it, we get a relook at it, and I would support stronger provisions. 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