--- 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 Newsletters: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition TIME publishes seven free email newsletters, written and edited by TIME journalists, reaching more than 1.1 million engaged readers. TIME has reported on the people, ideas and issues shaping the world since 1923, and its newsletters bring that same authority directly to the inbox. 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Named editors include Richard Hall (The Brief), Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs (Inside TIME), Eliza Berman (Worth Your Time), Philip Elliott (D.C. Brief), Justin Worland (Future Proof) and Harry Booth (In the Loop). Health Matters is written by TIME's health desk. #### How do I sign up for a TIME newsletter? Go to time.com/newsletters, choose the newsletters you want and enter your email address. There is no cost and no subscription requirement. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=d50c4d89-4b4b-4bd8-94d9-18c68a6af860&cr=time-nl-network-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 Sanders on Gun Control 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 [00:00] Right before the debate you changed your position on [00:02] immunity from law suits for gun manufacturers, can [00:05] you tell us why? << Well, I think Secretary Clinton [00:08] knows that what she says is very disingenuous. I have a [00:12] D minus voting record from the NRA. I [00:16] was in 1988, there were three candidates running for [00:20] congress in the the state of Vermont. I stood up to the [00:23] gun lobby And came out and maintain the position that [00:27] in this country we should not be selling military style [00:31] assault weapons. I have supported from day one and [00:35] instant background check to make certain that people [00:39] who should have not guns, do not have guns and that [00:42] includes people with criminal backgrounds. People [00:45] who are mentally unstable. I support what President [00:48] Obama is doing in terms of trying to close the gun [00:53] show loopholes and I think that it should be a federal [00:55] crime if people act as store men. We have seen in this [00:59] city a horrendous tragedy of a crazed person [01:04] praying. With people and then coming out and shooting [01:07] nine people. This should not be a political issue. What [01:11] we should be doing is working together. And by the [01:14] way, it's a Senator from a rural state that has virtually [01:18] no gun control. I believe that I am in an excellent [01:22] position to bring people together to fight for sensible [01:26] concept [ CROSSTALK ] The question that you did your [01:27] changed your position On immunity for gun [01:28] manufacturers so can you answer the question [01:28] [ UNKNOWN ]? What I have said [01:34] is that the gun manufacturers liability bill had [01:38] some good provisions. Among other things we [01:41] prohibited ammunition that would have killed cops [01:46] who had protection on. We had child safety protection [01:50] on guns in that legislation And what we also say, is [01:55] a small mom and pop gun shop who sells a [01:59] gun legally to somebody should not be held liable if [02:03] somebody does something terrible with that gun. What [02:05] I said is I would relook at it, we get a relook at it, and I [02:10] would support stronger provisions. 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