Bernie Sanders goes on the attack against CNN moderator—and runs out of time

Sen. Bernie Sanders was displeased with CNN debate moderator Jake Tapper's line of questioning during a segment of the debate on Medicare for All on Tuesday night.

One of the unsolved mysteries of the Democratic primary is how a system of Medicare for All would get paid for. A question which essentially boils down to who will bear the burden of all those inevitable additional taxes. The wealthy? Wall Street? The middle class?

Some candidates are trying to push the idea that Medicare for All can be funded without any additional tax burden on the middle class. Which is why, when Tapper asked candidates if they supported raising middle class taxes to pay for Medicare for All, Sanders took offense.

"What I'm talking about and others up here are talking about is no deductibles and no copayments, and Jake, your question is a Republican talking point," Sanders said. "And by the way, the health care industry will be advertising tonight on this program."

Tapper began cutting Sanders off just as he was getting to his big closing attack, however.

Sanders Goes After CNN's Tapper for Using a 'Republican Talking Point'youtu.be

It appeared to be a theme throughout Tuesday's debate for the more liberal candidates to dismiss moderate challenges to their policies as "Republican talking points."

How do you give everyone government health care with no deductibles or co-pays? Republican talking point.

How do you erase all student loan debt and send everyone to college for free? Republican talking point.

Won't giving decriminalizing illegal border crossings and giving illegal immigrants free healthcare just incentivize more illegal immigration? Republican talking point.

Asking how to pay for massive government-funded initiatives is an important question, but Democratic primary candidates are stalling to answer, hoping that they'll be sitting in the oval office before they have to really deal with it.