Less than 24 hours after Saturday’s Democratic debate in Des Moines, Hillary Clinton and Martin O’Malley were in Ames Sunday to fire up central Iowa Democrats at a fall barbecue event.

Around 560 activists and supporters of the candidates gathered at the Hansen Agriculture Student Learning Center on the Iowa State University campus. The event was sponsored by the Boone, Hamilton, Hardin and Story County Democrats and the ISU College Dems.

Presidential hopefuls Clinton and O’Malley made the stop in Ames the day after the Democratic Debate that took place at Drake University in Des Moines, which raked in 8.5 million viewers on the CBS television network.

Former President Bill Clinton made a surprise appearance at the event, thanking Clinton supporters and saying it was “great” to be back in Ames. He also said “he would probably vote for Hillary” after being back on the campaign trail.

Hillary Clinton, the first candidate to speak, started out similar to Saturday night’s debate — on international terrorism and the threat of ISIS, in light of the recent attacks on Paris that killed over 130 and injured hundreds.

“The attack in Paris, the city of light, reminds us that there is no middle ground in going after these terrorists,” she said.

Clinton stood by her stance from the debate, saying it was key for the United States to lead the fight, but to pull American allies from the Middle East into the fray.

“As I said, I know America has to lead it but we cannot and should not do it alone,” Clinton said. At the debate, O’Malley and the third Democratic candidate, Sen. Bernie Sanders, went after what they said was an overly aggressive foreign policy, specifically citing her vote in favor of the Iraq war.

Clinton pivoted to domestic policy, and she repeatedly praised President Obama’s administration and going after former President George W. Bush. She praised the Affordable Care Act, while calling for more reforms to help the middle class “get ahead.”

She also said she was the only candidate on debate stage that “committed” to raising middle class wages, and not taxes, a thinly-veiled shot at Sanders, who some has said would have to raise taxes on the middle class to pay for government programs.

Clinton focussed on students directly, saying they should not “have to borrow a dime” when going to college.

Clinton got a standing ovation when she said she would “stand up” for Planned Parenthood funding, protect abortion rights, defend marriage equality and non-discrimination laws and protect voting rights.

She also pledged to overturn “Citizens United,” a Supreme Court decision that allows corporations to give large sums of money to political campaigns. Sanders has made campaign finance reform a centerpiece plank of his campaign.

To the delight of those in attendance, Clinton also put an Iowa spin on her speech, calling out Republican Gov. Terry Branstad for his plan to privatize the state’s Medicare system. She also called for tighter gun restrictions, citing three shootings in Des Moines last weekend.

Another knock at Iowa Gov. @TerryBranstad from @HillaryClinton – big applause here in Ames. #iacaucus #DemBBQ

— Alex Hanson (@theAlexHanson) November 15, 2015

O’Malley was second to speak, kicking off by saying the U.S. should strengthen social security and pass immigration reform.

O’Malley was critical of his Democratic opponents during the speech, going after Clinton once again on her ties to Wall Street. Clinton took some heat for her answer during the debate, invoking the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in 2001 as one of the reasons she was close to Wall Street.

He said her answer was a way to “sadly mask” her ties to Wall Street, adding as president, she would follow the advice of economists who have advocated economic policies favorable to big business.

Speaking to reporters, Bill Clinton called attacks on Hillary’s 9/11 answer “a stretch.”

He also went after Sanders for his record on gun control, and opponents have went after him repeatedly for past votes while in Congress.

However, O’Malley did praise President Obama for his actions during the economic recession, saying “we were this close to a second Great Depression” and that he will build on the accomplishments of the Obama administration.

O’Malley’s plan to improve upon the U.S. economy including raising the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour, as well as guaranteed equal pay and immigration reform.

“The economy is not money, it’s people,” he said. “It’s all about people.”

@MartinOMalley: “The economy is not money, it’s people. It’s all about people.” #DemBBQ

— Michaela Ramm (@Michaela_Ramm) November 15, 2015

Both O’Malley and Clinton also praised Iowa’s effort to move toward clean energy, with the increasing prominence of wind energy and other alternative sources of electricity.

O’Malley also spoke on climate change, a topic that has been a common theme among the Democratic candidates during this campaign election. He called climate change “the greatest business opportunity in the United States” and said he will move to have a clean energy gridlock in the U.S. by 2050.

Cornel West, a civil rights activist, spoke on behalf of Sanders at the event. He tried to quell any concerns of Sanders being a “Democratic-socialist,” saying don’t let the “ism” get in the way of the policies he is advocating.

West said Clinton was giving “lip service” to voters when she touts being progressive. He said a reason he backs Sanders is because of his consistency on being progressive in Congress.

“I stand with Bernie Sanders, and I stand with those who advocate for working people,” West said.

At the event, attendees also heard from a surrogate for Kim Weaver, the Democrat running against U.S. Rep. Steve King in Iowa’s fourth district, and U.S. Senate candidates Rob Hogg, a state senator from Cedar Rapids, Tom Fiegen, a former Iowa state senator, Bob Krause, a former state representative, and Ray Zirkelbach, a former state representative.