MSNBC Democratic Debate: Live Coverage

While Clinton might have an advantage when discussing national security, it’s not an issue at the top of Democratic voters’ minds. In the Iowa caucuses last week, just 6 percent of Democrats said terrorism was their most important issue, according to the entrance poll there. By contrast, 25 percent of Republicans did so.

Carl, not only is this not Sanders’s comfort zone — it’s playing directly to Clinton’s strengths. That same poll found that even though 54 percent of Americans disapproved of the way Obama is handling terrorism, and 57 percent disapproved of his handling of the Islamic State, she’s the most trusted presidential candidate on the issue. The closest second is Jeb Bush — in a one-on-one matchup, 46 percent trusted Clinton more, and 43 percent trusted Bush more.

Sanders is no longer in his comfort zone now that the debate has shifted to how to fight the Islamic State and terrorism. In a December Washington Post-ABC poll, 64 percent of Democrats said Clinton would be better at handling the threat of terrorism; just 26 percent thought Sanders would.