Photo: AP

Regardless of whatever political good or harm it did, former New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg’s appearance at the Democratic National Convention on Wednesday appears to have gotten under Republican nominee Donald Trump’s skin. “Trump says he wants to run the nation like he’s run his business,” Bloomberg told the DNC. “God help us.” (Folks!) “I’m a New Yorker,” he continued, “and I know a con when I see one.”

At a campaign rally in Davenport, Iowa, on Thursday, Trump responded—albeit somewhat unusually, without using his critic’s name. “I was going to hit one guy, in particular a very little guy,” Trump said. (Bloomberg is 5' 8".) “I was going to hit this guy so hard his head would spin. He wouldn’t know what the hell happened.”

In the past, according to the New York Times, Bloomberg, an actual billionaire, and Trump, an alleged billionaire, have had a somewhat cordial, if superficial, relationship:

On at least a few occasions, Mr. Bloomberg and Mr. Trump met up on the golf links. In 2007, when Mr. Bloomberg was in the second of his three terms as mayor, the two played together in a charity event at Trump National Golf Club in the city’s northern suburbs. An article in New York magazine described how Mr. Trump, Mr. Bloomberg, the comedian Billy Crystal and the former New York Yankees manager Joe Torre were set to play together in the lead foursome — but could not agree on who would go first.

“How about the mayor starts it off in honor of the city?” Mr. Trump was quoted as saying, playing peacemaker and showing deference to Mr. Bloomberg.

Mr. Bloomberg also appeared twice on Mr. Trump’s reality TV show, “The Apprentice,” in 2004 and 2008, in part as a way to demonstrate support for the show, which was produced in New York.

In an appearance on CNN in January, when Bloomberg was mulling a third-party run for president, Trump questioned Forbes’ estimate of the former mayor’s worth ($36.5 billion). “We used to be friends,” Trump said. “I guess we’re not friends anymore.”

Sad.

Update – 10:05 am: