. >> reporter: martin o'malley and jim webb took a break to speak via satellite at this new hampshire forum. they'll be working to get noticed tonight launching a steady stream of attacks against the embattled former secretary of state. but don't expect that political approach from bernie sanders. >> let's treat each other civil civilly. >> reporter: the spouts of the candidates are usually in the audience on debate night. former president bill clinton is in las vegas but there's word this morning he won't be at the debate. reena and ryan. >> maybe a little less pressure. thanks so much. >>> unlike the first two gop debates the democratic face-off not expected to be a big ratings bonanza. >> they're promising to stick to the issues and may not translate into great tv. donald trump says viewers will tune in for a few minutes then lose interest. >> i don't think it's going to be very well rated. trump isn't in the debate. i'm only kidding. i think it's not going to be highly rated. i think it's going to be you watch it for 10 or 15 minute, people get bored and turn it off. >> by contras

o'malley was pleading for a chance to speak. our coverage begins with abc's megan hughes in washington. megan, good morning to you. >> reporter: good morning, kendis and reena, yeah, the timing is critical. the fact this was the last debate before the iowa caucuses, it was very clear that for hillary clinton and for bernie sanders, the gloves are now off. in south carolina, front-runners hillary clinton and bernie sanders come out swinging debating health care. legacy. >> i'm not sure whether we're talking about the plan you just introduced tonight or we're talking about the plan you congress. >> reporter: sanders says for health care. >> that is nonsense. we're not going to tear up the affordable care act. >> reporter: clinton slams sanders on gun control. >> he voted to let guns go onto amtrak, goes go into national parks. he voted against doing research to figure out how we can save lives. >> reporter: the debate step as way from the charleston church where a white gunman killed nine black worshippers in june and martin o'mal

debate well ahead of sanders and martin o'malley in recent national polls but sanders leads clinton among granite state voters. that debate will be hosted by abc's david muir and martha raddatz tomorrow night 8 p.m. eastern, 7:00 central. >> on the republican side vladimir putin is offering some praise for donald trump. the russian leader yesterday calling the republican front-runner a talented, very colorful person and the absolute leader of the presidential race. trump saying in response it's always a great honor to be so nicely complimented by a man so highly respected within his own country and beyond. >>> well, drug company executivemartin shkreli is free on bond after his arrest for securities fraud, the man who sparked outrage by raising the price of a life-saving drug 4,000%. now he's sparked a criminal investigation and linsey davis explains. known as the bad boy of pharmaceuticals infamous for increasing the price of a life-saving drug from $13.50 to $750 a tablet arrested on un unrelated security fraud charges. >> shkreli essentially ran his companies like a ponzi scheme. >> re

martin o'malley and mike huckabee announcing they will be suspending their campaigns with potentially more to come as we head now into new hampshire. reena, kendis. >> all right, new hampshire just one week away, lana zak in des moines for us, thank you. >>> as you just heard there in the words of bernie sanders he and hillary clinton are locked in a virtual tie. >> the clinton campaign however declared victory overnight after this upbeat rally that lana alluded to and avoided a loss like she suffered in 2008. next. >> like donald trump she had an opportunity to basically start to put the race away with a clear victory tonight. she didn't get that so now she faces a likely loss in new hampshire so the next place she can win is south carolina, so that race is now which could have been shortened if she had won tonight overwhelmingly is race and go into march for sure. >> iowa voters delivered a split decision for the republicans, as well, but ted cruz took the lead away from donald trump to win. >> trump barely ahead of marco rubio whose strong performance was another big headline. abc'

. >> the empty podium is pulling ahead of martin o'malley. >> what does it say for you cast a vote about something you weren't sure about. >> i think you're being rough. i just arrived at the united states senate. >> come on, anderson cooper, you're being rough on linc. you know the other senators were giving them swirlies and running he didn't know what to do. jimmy christmas, stop giving him the business. why don't you ask jim webb something. he wasn't asked something for ten minute. >> it led to an awkward moment where he threatened to hold his breath until someone asked a question. >> you know your debate was un uneventful when the headline banner is elderly man not have the in e-mail. >> the american people are sick and tired of hearing about your damn e-mails. >> thank you, me too. me too. >> you know. >> that's the laugh of a woman who is thinking, you buffoon. if you had an e-mail scandal i would hang you from the rafters with it. >> and to think we got another full year of these gem. >> very good point. on behalf of phillip and myself thanks for tuning in.

. >> martin o'malley. >> hillary clinton. >> all three democratic candidates taking part in the station fusion. answering rapid-fire questions. >> is it off brand for a democratic socialist to live in a mansion like the white house. >> i would consider it more like public housing. >> the candidates laying out their plan for guns and immigration plus bernie sanders and hillary clinton taking aim at each other. >> have you known this lady is you. >> it could be that the inevitable candidate for the democratic nomination may not be so inevitable today. >> i have laid out specifically my tax plans and my friend, senator sanders has said he will lay out his before the iowa caucus and i and others will be anxious to see them. >> taking shots at donald trump. >> who would have thought donald trump would be leading in national polls? i mean, for those of you who ever thought about running for i mean shall -- >> trump on the attack as well. >> i haven't even started on her yet although last week i did a little bit. i guess. we haven't even started. >> trump will again be center stage in the repu

. >> martin o'malley. >> hillary clinton. >> all three democratic candidates taking part in the forum hosted by abc news' sister station fusion. on stage at different times answering rapid-fire questions. >> is it off brand for a democratic socialist to live in a mansion like the white house? [ laughter ] >> well, i would consider it more like public housing. [ laughter ] >> but it wasn't all laughs. the candidates laying out their plan for guns and immigration plus bernie sanders and hillary clinton taking aim at each other. >> have you noticed this lady, that she's been getting more aggressive with you? >> it could be that the inevitable candidate for the democratic nomination may not be so inevitable today. my tax plans, and my friend, senator sanders, has said that he will lay out his before the iowa caucus, and i and others will be anxious to see them. >> the candidates also taking shots at republican front-runner donald trump. >> who would have thought donald trump would be leading in of national polls? [ laughter ] i mean, for those of you who ever thought about running for pre