Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) took his criticism of the mass media to live national television on Tuesday night, accusing CNNs Jake Tapper of amplifying GOP rhetoric on health care as 10 contenders for the Democratic presidential nomination squared off in a debate.

Jake, your question is a Republican talking point, Sanders said to applause at the Fox Theatre in Detroit. And by the way, the health care industry will be advertising tonight on this program.

Tapper cut Sanders off at that point, saying that the senators time was up.

It was not clear whether Sanders was referring to Tappers queries about whether candidates would support middle-class tax hikes to pay for Medicare for All.

But regardless, Sanders appeared to speak for other candidates onstage including such other top contenders as Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg and former Rep. Beto ORourke of Texas who struggled for airtime against more moderate candidates who have barely registered in the polls former Rep. John Delaney of Maryland, Montana Gov. Steve Bullock and Rep. Tim Ryan of Ohio.

CNNs panel of moderators Tapper, Don Lemon and Dana Bash repeatedly used conservative concerns about liberal positions on health care, immigration, climate change and more to inform their questions. They also forced the more progressive front-runners to answer to the attacks of their less-prominent rivals and in some cases, vice-versa granting extraordinary airtime to candidates like Delaney and Bullock in the process.