Fiery Democratic debate in New Hampshire hits guns, terrorism, ISIS, health care

The candidates drew contrasts with each other on a number of issues on the presidential debate stage in Manchester, New Hampshire Saturday night.

It all started with an apology from Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders to former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton for his former campaign staffer accessing the Clinton campaign’s voter files earlier this week.

“I apologize to the secretary and I apologize to my supporters,” Sanders said. “If I find anyone else doing this, they will be fired.”

The debate quickly delved into the threat of terrorism as this debate was the first for the Democrats since the attack in San Bernardino, California.

“Arming more people is not the appropriate response to terrorism,” Clinton said.

Clinton and Sanders both called for stricter gun laws and limits on magazine capacity and stronger background checks.

“Do not tell me that I have not shown courage to standing up to the gun people,” Sanders said.

Clinton and Sanders were joined by former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley who lags in the polls.

The three Democrats targeted Republicans throughout the night but only mentioned Donald Trump by name.

They condemned the GOP frontrunner’s call for a temporary ban on Muslims coming to the United States.

“He is becoming ISIS’ best recruiter,” Clinton said. “They are going to people showing them video of Donald Trump insulting Muslims.”

O’Malley brought up a conversation an American Muslim father had with his 10-year-old son.

“His little boy said to him: ‘What happens if Donald Trump wins and we have to move out of our homes?” O’Malley recounted.

On ISIS, Clinton is wary of a foreign policy that includes U.S. boots on the ground.

“It’s absolutely the wrong policy to imagine that we will put tens of thousands of American troops into Syria and Iraq to fight ISIS,” she said.

Then the debate shifted to the economy where Clinton criticized the GOP platform.

“Everyone one of us on this stage stands for the kind of economy that will work better for every American,” the Democratic frontrunner said.

Sanders, in a move to differentiate himself from Clinton, again pushed for guaranteed health care.

“Why is it the United States of America is the only major country on Earth that does not guarantee health care as a right?” he asked.

The only time the words Planned Parenthood were mentioned came in Clinton’s closing statement.

Sanders, who came into this debate trailing Clinton by 30 points in the latest ABC News-Washington Post national poll, said if he were president, he would decriminalize marijuana nationwide.

The next Democratic debate is in South Carolina Jan. 17, three days after the Republicans debate for the first time in 2016.

Voting in the 2016 race for the White House begins with the Iowa Caucuses on Feb. 1 followed by the New Hampshire Primary Feb. 9.