The 8 biggest moments of the Dem debate Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders clash on guns while Martin O’Malley tries to insert himself into the discussion.

In one of the most heated debates of the 2016 Democratic primary contest, Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders and Martin O’Malley clashed Sunday over everything from health care and guns to Wall Street reform.

Here are the most noteworthy moments from the debate.


1. Clashing on gun control

Moderators wasted no time in setting up a fight between Sanders and Clinton on gun control. Clinton has lambasted Sanders for what she calls his repeated opposition to strong gun-safety measures. Sanders made clear quickly that he’s not pleased with her characterization.

“I think Secretary Clinton knows that what she says is very disingenuous,” he said, citing his support for a ban on assault weapons and instant background checks for gun buyers. Sanders reiterated that his coming from Vermont, a strongly pro-gun state, would help him bridge the political the divide on the issue if he wins.

But Clinton was undeterred. She said Sanders has voted “with the NRA, with the gun lobby, numerous times.”

“He voted to let guns go onto Amtrak, guns go into national parks,” she said, adding that she’s pleased he “reversed” himself on immunity legislation for gun manufacturers.

2. Clinton doesn’t want a “contentious” health care debate

The former secretary of state said she has no interest in relitigating Obamacare or, in fact, any pitched health care battle with a likely divided Congress. Her main beef with Sanders on Obamacare? He’d “tear it up and start over again, pushing our country back into that kind of a contentious debate.”

Both offered strikingly similar goals and pledged to build upon the gains of Obamacare. Both panned the insurance industry, though Sanders called to eliminate it and Clinton pledged a more nuanced approach to peeling away its influence.

“I certainly respect Sen. Sanders’ intentions,” she said. “The details really matter.”

3. “My good friend Donald Trump”

Asked why he polls poorly among minorities, Sanders insisted it is simply a matter of familiarity and ticked off a list of polls showing him gaining overall momentum, which he said would show up among minorities as they get to know him. Then, adopting a tactic associatedmost with Republican poll leader Donald Trump, he ticked off a list of polls sure to make Clinton uncomfortable.

“In Iowa, New Hampshire, the race is very, very close,” he said. “Maybe we’re ahead in New Hampshire.”

He noted that he polls further ahead of “my good friend” Trump in general election matchups than Clinton. “We are on the path to victory,” he said.

4. “Just 10 seconds”

O’Malley tried repeatedly to insert himself into a debate dominated by Sanders and Clinton, often seeking to rise above their confrontations but finding himself drowned out by his competitors. His earnestness led to an awkward moment heading into a commercial break.

“Just 10 seconds,” O’Malley pleaded after Clinton and Sanders had just finished another sparring session. Lester Holt, the moderator, spoke over him and went to commercial break anyway.

Later, O’Malley managed to inject some pushback to Clinton in a debate about a crackdown on Wall Street excesses, criticizing her for suggesting that she’d go as far as either Sanders or O’Malley on financial industry reform.

5. Sanders’ 50-state strategy

The senator ripped the modern Democratic Party, saying it needs major reforms and a hard break from “being dependent on super PACs” and moneyed interests.

“What we need to be is dependent on small, individual campaign contributors,” he said, calling for a “50-state strategy” that empowers Democrats in Republican enclaves like Mississippi and South Carolina.

6. Power vacuum

Sanders and Clinton found one area of emphatic agreement: A leadership vacuum in the Middle East helped contribute to today’s chaos — but the Obama administration isn’t to blame.

Despite bloody battles in Iraq and Syria, both leading Democratic candidates said the foreign policy leadership of the president is largely astute.

“I think the vacuum was created by the disastrous war in Iraq, which I vigorously opposed,” Sanders said.

Clinton argued that the power vacuum is the fault of leaders in Syria and Iraq, who oversaw sectarian killing and violence that allowed terrorists to gain a foothold in their countries.

7. Clinton and Putin

Clinton paused for a moment when she was asked to assess her relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“It’s interesting,” she said, with a smile. “It’s one, I think, of respect. We’ve had some very tough dealings with one another. And I know that he’s someone you have to continually stand up to because like many bullies he is somebody who will take as much as he possibly can unless you do.”

Clinton said she‘s open to resetting her relationship with Russia but, “It would depend upon what I got for it.”

8. Sanders lays off Bill Clinton

The senator turned a question about the ex-president’s behavior in the White House into a monologue about his refusal to be goaded into attacks.

“That question annoys me,” he said, when asked to expand on previous statements ripping Bill Clinton’s sexual transgressions.

Sanders said he’s only criticized the former president when asked by reporters.

“His behavior was deplorable,” he said. “Have I ever said a word about the issue? No I have not.”

