ABC News N.H. Democratic Debate: on Gun Control


Bernie Sanders: I have shown courage against NRA on gun issues

Gov. O'MALLEY: In Maryland, we overcame the NRA's objections. [The lack of progress on federal un laws] i's because of the flip-flopping, political approach of Washington that both of my two colleagues on this stage have represented there for the last forty years.

CLINTON: I have been for the Brady bill; I have been against assault weapons.

SANDERS: In 1988, just to set the record straight governor, I ran for the U.S. House. I said, "I don't think it's a great idea that we sell automatic weapons in this country that are used by the military to kill people very rapidly." Gun people said, "Vote for one of the others, but not Bernie Sanders." I lost that election by 3%. Quite likely for that reason. Do not tell me that I have not shown courage in standing up to the gun people, in voting to ban assault weapons, voting for instant background checks, voting to end the gun show loop hole and now we're in a position to create a consensus in America on gun safety.

Source: 2015 ABC/WMUR Democratic primary debate in N.H. Dec 19, 2015

Bernie Sanders: People have the right to buy guns, with sensible regulations

O'MALLEY: Senator Sanders voted against the Brady Bill. Senator Sanders voted to give immunity to gun dealers. What we need on this issue is not more polls. We need more principle. When ISIL does videos that say the easiest way to get a combat assault weapon in the US is at a gun show, we should all be waking up. We need comprehensive gun safety legislation and a ban on assault weapons.

SANDERS: It's a country in which people choose to buy guns. More than half of the people in Vermont are gun owners. That's the right of people. I think we have to bring together the majority of the people who do believe in sensible gun safety regulations. Who denies that it is crazy to allow people to own guns who are criminals or mentally unstable? We've got to eliminate the gun show loophole. We have got to see that weapons designed by the military to kill people are not in the hands of civilians.

Source: 2015 ABC/WMUR Democratic primary debate in N.H. Dec 19, 2015

Hillary Clinton: I support Brady Bill and closing the Charleston loophole

CLINTON: I have been for the Brady bill; I have been against assault weapons. I have voted not to give gun makers and sellers immunity. And I would hope that [others] would join the Democrats who are trying to close the Charleston loophole. We need to move on this consensus that exists in the country. It's no longer enough just to say the vast majority of Americans want common sense gun safety measures including gun owners.

OnTheIssues explanation: "The Charleston loophole" refers to a recent shooter in Charleston S.C. who legally purchased the weapon he used in the shooting because of a "default proceed" rule. That rule means, if the FBI does not notify the dealer within three days, the purchase can proceed. In the case of the Charleston shooter, he WAS on the FBI list due to previous arrests, but due to a clerical error by a county jail clerk reporting his arrest with the4 wrong agency, he was allowed to purchase the weapon.

Source: 2015 ABC/WMUR Democratic primary debate in N.H. Dec 19, 2015

Hillary Clinton: Arming more people is not appropriate response to terrorism

O`MALLEY: Secretary Clinton changes her position on this every election year. When ISIL does videos that say the easiest way to get a combat assault weapon in the US is at a gun show, we should all be waking up.

CLINTON: Guns, in and of themselves, will not make Americans safer. We lose 33,000 people a year already to gun violence, arming more people to do what I think is not the appropriate response to terrorism. The first line of defense against radicalization is in Muslim-American community.

Source: 2015 ABC/WMUR Democratic primary debate in N.H. Dec 19, 2015

Martin O`Malley: We need more principle, not more polls

Senator Sanders voted against the Brady Bill. Senator Sanders voted to give immunity to gun dealers. Secretary Clinton changes her position on this every election year. What we need on this issue is not more polls. We need more principle. When ISIL does videos that say the easiest way to get a combat assault weapon in the US is at a gun show, we should all be waking up. We need comprehensive gun safety legislation and a ban on assault weapons.
Source: 2015 ABC/WMUR Democratic primary debate in N.H. Dec 19, 2015

Martin O`Malley: FactCheck: Yes, ISIL made videos on buying assault weapons

Gov. O'Malley said, "When ISIL does training videos that say the easiest way to get a combat assault weapon in the U.S. is at a gun show, then we should all be waking up. We need comprehensive gun safety legislation and a ban on assault weapons." Is that literally true?

We checked, and it is, according to a CNN article from April 2013: "A video from 2011 has resurfaced showing American-born al Qaeda spokesman Adam Gadahn discussing how easy it is to buy guns in the US & urging fellow radicals to do so. In the video, the California-raised Gadahn said militants should arm themselves for attacks on Western governments. Gadahn says, "You can go down to a gun show at the local convention center and come away with a fully automatic assault rifle, without a background check. So what are you waiting for?"

O'Malley cited ISIL, and the video was actually made by al Qaeda, but the governor got the basics right. But the video is incorrect: a background check is actually needed.

Source: OnTheIssues FactCheck on 2015 ABC/WMUR Dem. debate in N.H. Dec 19, 2015

  • The above quotations are from ABC News/WMUR Democratic Debate
    at Saint Anselm College in Manchester, New Hampshire
    Moderated by David Muir and Martha Raddatz.
  • Click here for definitions & background information on Gun Control.
  • Click here for other issues (main summary page).
  • Click here for more quotes by Hillary Clinton on Gun Control.
  • Click here for more quotes by Martin O`Malley on Gun Control.
2016 Presidential contenders on Gun Control:
  Republicans:
Gov.Jeb Bush(FL)
Dr.Ben Carson(MD)
Gov.Chris Christie(NJ)
Sen.Ted Cruz(TX)
Carly Fiorina(CA)
Gov.Jim Gilmore(VA)
Sen.Lindsey Graham(SC)
Gov.Mike Huckabee(AR)
Gov.Bobby Jindal(LA)
Gov.John Kasich(OH)
Gov.Sarah Palin(AK)
Gov.George Pataki(NY)
Sen.Rand Paul(KY)
Gov.Rick Perry(TX)
Sen.Rob Portman(OH)
Sen.Marco Rubio(FL)
Sen.Rick Santorum(PA)
Donald Trump(NY)
Gov.Scott Walker(WI)
Democrats:
Gov.Lincoln Chafee(RI)
Secy.Hillary Clinton(NY)
V.P.Joe Biden(DE)
Gov.Martin O`Malley(MD)
Sen.Bernie Sanders(VT)
Sen.Elizabeth Warren(MA)
Sen.Jim Webb(VA)

2016 Third Party Candidates:
Gov.Gary Johnson(L-NM)
Roseanne Barr(PF-HI)
Robert Steele(L-NY)
Dr.Jill Stein(G,MA)
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Page last updated: Dec 07, 2018