Mike Bloomberg proved one thing beyond question during his awful performance in Wednesday night’s Democratic presidential debate.

He sure can take a punch.

The former New York City Mayor and mega-billionaire businessman was pummeled from the moment the lights went up at the Paris and seemed remarkably unprepared to answer tough questions about his racially charged “stop and frisk” policing policy, history of sexist comments, and the use of his massive wealth to buy his way onto the stage.

After describing himself as a tough New Yorker, he proceeded to get cuffed around by progressives and moderates alike. His staggering $400 million cash infusion into the 2020 Democratic presidential race paid for a place in the spotlight, but it couldn’t save him from the mugging he received from opponents who’ve been slugging it out for the past year.

Stop and frisk?

This should have been stopped on cuts.

When MSNBC’s Chris Matthews compares you to boxing’s legendary bleeder Carmen Basilio, you’ve officially had a bad night. But at least Basilio hit back. The rattled Bloomberg had no hand in his glove.

Although the viability of his candidacy is already being called into question, Bloomberg can take partial responsibility for reenergizing the wilting candidacies of Elizabeth Warren and Joe Biden. In his omnipresent advertising, Bloomberg has been trying to position himself as a moderate alternative to self-described democratic socialist Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders. If all went according to plan, Bloomberg would emerge as the actual New York multi-billionaire challenging the made-for-TV version in the White House.

Instead, Bloomberg was knocked around like a Bozo Bop Bag. Another performance like that, and his NYC citizenship might be revoked.

Although there was plenty of competition, it was hard to top Warren’s stinging assessment of the waxen newcomer who has looked so lifelike in his television ads. She swung out of her sensible shoes and landed this one to the chin.

"I'd like to talk about who we're running against: A billionaire who calls women 'fat broads' and 'horse-faced lesbians.' And no, I'm not talking about Donald Trump. I'm talking about Mayor Bloomberg. Democrats are not going to win if we have a nominee who has a history of hiding his tax returns, of harassing women, and of supporting racist policies like redlining and stop and frisk. … Look, I'll support whoever the Democratic nominee is. But understand this: Democrats take a huge risk if we just substitute one arrogant billionaire for another."

Ouch. That had to leave a mark.

On Friday, Warren was still at it, calling on Bloomberg to sign a contract allowing the company’s harassment accusers to be released from their nondisclosure agreements. That also stung. Bloomberg on Friday responded by saying he would release three women silenced by nondisclosure agreements. 

If only Warren been able to deliver her best lines before the end of early voting, her take-no-prisoners style on debate night might have helped win more converts to her cause.

Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar added dashes of salt to the wound with, “I actually welcomed Mayor Bloomberg to the stage. I thought that he shouldn’t be hiding behind his TV ads.” Then she quipped that Democrats don’t “look at Donald Trump and say, ‘We need someone richer in the White House.’”

No, but they do need someone they believe can unite the party and defeat the incumbent. That, in theory, provided Bloomberg and his unlimited bankroll with an opportunity. But when you’ve been registered as a Republican, independent and Democrat, you’re asking for a Pete Buttigieg to implore debate watchers, “Let’s put forward somebody who is actually a Democrat.”

Was NBC’s Chuck Todd onto something when he asked, “Mayor Bloomberg, should you exist?”

Instead of seizing the moment, Bloomberg appeared ill prepared for the rough-and-tumble of a real campaign. To no surprise, Bloomberg’s steroid-enhanced poll position sagged following the debate. Hundreds of millions can stop a lot of bleeding, but he still has to answer Todd’s ultimate question.

Meanwhile, Bloomberg’s camp assures skeptics he’s “just warming up.” At a rally in Utah on Thursday he reminded his audience, “Look, the real winner in the debate last night was Donald Trump.”

Which is the sort of thing a candidate says when he gets his ass kicked.

Better buck up, big guy.

Something tells me it’s your opponents who are just warming up.

John L. Smith is an author and longtime columnist. He was born in Henderson and his family’s Nevada roots go back to 1881. His stories have appeared in Time, Readers Digest, The Daily Beast, Reuters, Ruralite and Desert Companion, among others. He also offers weekly commentary on Nevada Public Radio station KNPR. His newest book—a biography of iconic Nevada civil rights and political leader, Joe Neal—”Westside Slugger: Joe Neal’s Lifelong Fight for Social Justice” is published by University of Nevada Press and is available at Amazon.com. Contact him at [email protected]. On Twitter: @jlnevadasmith