One billionaire New Yorker lambasted another Wednesday night at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia.
In a speech endorsing Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton, former Mayor Michael Bloomberg condemned her Republican competitor, Donald Trump, as a "dangerous demagogue" and trashed Trump's record as a businessman.
Here are just a few ways the Democrat turned Republican turned independent media mogul slammed Trump:
► A coded allusion to the lawsuits again Trump University: "I'm a New Yorker, and New Yorkers know a con when we see one."
► A shot at the inheritance Trump's father handed him: "I've built a business, and I didn't start it with a million-dollar check from my father."
► Some "billionaire shade," as one Twitter user put it, from a man whose fortune is worth an estimated $47.5 billion: “Truth be told, the richest thing about Donald Trump is his hypocrisy.”
► A crack at the real estate magnate's bankruptcies: "Trump says he wants to run the nation like he's run his business. God help us."
While Bloomberg's praise for Clinton was less extreme than his criticism of Trump, he did applaud her work as a U.S. senator representing New York state after the 9/11 terrorist attack.
"I saw how Hillary Clinton worked with Republicans in Washington to ensure that New York got the help it needed to recover and rebuild," he said.
"Let's elect a sane and competent person with international experience," he went on to say.
As a party outsider, Bloomberg had the ability to reach beyond the Democratic base, observers noted.
"I have a feeling that Bloomberg managed to move more actual undecided votes to Clinton than any other speaker so far," conservative political commentator Andrew Sullivan wrote.
The former mayor's speech left some New Yorkers with a favorable impression:
Bloomberg's speech was so badass that I might never drink soda again just out of respect.
— Rory Albanese (@RoryAlbanese) July 28, 2016
While others were disappointed he did not trot out his limited Spanish language skills, which he famously used to update Spanish-speaking New Yorkers on the progress of Hurricane Sandy in 2011 as well as during other press conferences.
Bloomberg was perfect Bloomberg, but I'm sad he didn't deliver his speech in Spanish immediately following.
— Lexi Mainland (@lexim) July 28, 2016
Fortunately, the parody Twitter account El Bloombito, run by Inwood resident Rachel Figueroa, picked up the slack.
Voto para Clintoño por que esta not perfecto, pero at leasto not el orange Chupacabra.
— Miguel Bloombito (@ElBloombito) July 28, 2016
Bloomberg considered a run for the presidency as an independent candidate in January, but ultimately reconsidered spending $1 billion of his own money on the venture, citing fear that his candidacy might clinch the election for Trump or then-Republican presidential candidate Sen. Ted Cruz.
He isn't the only former New York City mayor to speak at a political national convention this month. Last week, Rudy Giuliani delivered a fiery speech at the Republican National Convention in Ohio warning terrorists to beware: "You know who you are, and we are coming to get you," he said.
Mayor Bill de Blasio also took the stage Wednesday, strolling to the podium while Carlos Santana and Rob Thomas' hit "Smooth" played.
