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Clinton, Sanders and O'Malley in brief on Saturday night

November 15, 2015 at 4:27AM

With three presidential candidates instead of five on stage for Saturday night's Democratic debate, the hopefuls got a little more time to shine. Here's a flavor of what they said in their own words:

Hillary Rodham Clinton, former secretary of state

Opening: "Our prayers are with the people of France tonight," adding, "but that is not enough. We need to have a resolve that will bring the world together to root out the kind of radical, Jihadist ideology that motivates organizations [like] ISIS."

Foreign policy: "I don't think we are at war with Islam. ... I think we're at war with jihadists," adding that "it's not particularly helpful" to use language that alienates many Muslims.

Minimum wage: Deviated from her rivals on the minimum wage. The federal wage floor should be raised to $12 per hour from the current $7.25. $15, the wage sought by Sanders and O'Malley, is too high.

On the GOP: "All of us support Planned Parenthood. All of us believe climate change is real. All of us want equal pay for equal work. They don't believe in any of that. So let's focus on what this election is really going to be about."

Bernie Sanders, U.S. senator from Vermont

Opening: Sanders began with sharp language on ISIL, which claimed responsibility for the Paris attacks. "Together, leading the world, this country will rid our planet of this barbarous organization."

Tuition: Public college tuition should be free for all Americans, paid for by raising taxes. "There must be a tax on Wall Street speculation. … It's their turn to bail out the middle class."

Wall Street: Of the plan Clinton is offering to regulate the nation's financial industry, Sanders said simply: "Not good enough." "Let's not be naive about it. Why over her political career has Wall Street been the major contributor to her campaign?"

Clinton e-mails: "I was sick and tired of Hillary Clinton's e-mail. I am still sick and tired of Hillary Clinton's e-mail." Sanders said it's time to move on, and Clinton seized the opening to add, "I couldn't agree more."

Martin O'Malley, former Maryland governor

Opening: The U.S. needs "new thinking" and "new leadership" to respond to threats posed by ISIL.

Immigration: The U.S. must focus on reform, rather than more border security. He said that that net immigration from Mexico last year was zero. "Fact check me. Go ahead. Check it out."

Guns: Questioned Sanders' support for a 2005 measure to give gun manufacturers immunity from lawsuits. Clinton, he said, has been on three sides of the issue. "When you ran in 2000, you said we needed federal robust regulation, then in 2008 you were portraying yourself as Annie Oakley and saying we don't need those regulations."