President Donald Trump has repeatedly hit Democratic presidential candidate and former New York City mayor Mike Bloomberg for his short stature over the past several weeks, calling the former mayor “Mini” Mike” and “little,” and joking that the candidate wants to stand on a “box” during debates.
While left-wing politicos, and Mr. Bloomberg himself, have insisted that the height jokes do not bother the billionaire, New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman begs to differ.
According to Haberman, who once covered Bloomberg for the Times, the former mayor is sensitive about his height and is no doubt bothered by the jabs from Trump. Haberman even went as far as to claim that Bloomberg lied about his height on his driver’s license, underscoring the candidate’s apparent sensitivity.
“Mini Mike is a 5’4′ mass of dead energy who does not want to be on the debate stage with these professional politicians,” President Trump tweeted Thursday. “No boxes please. He hates Crazy Bernie and will, with enough money, possibly stop him. Bernie’s people will go nuts!”
Mini Mike is a 5’4” mass of dead energy who does not want to be on the debate stage with these professional politicians. No boxes please. He hates Crazy Bernie and will, with enough money, possibly stop him. Bernie’s people will go nuts!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 13, 2020
When another reporter insisted that Bloomberg and his team are “delighted” by Trump’s mockery, Haberman interjected, “The height thing is one of the few things that actually bothers the candidate.”
The height thing is one of the few things that actually bothers the candidate. https://t.co/cfngiBoBTO
— Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) February 13, 2020
Time O’Brien, Bloomberg’s senior campaign advisor, said Haberman was wrong about her estimation.
“The ‘height thing’ actually doesn’t bother Mike, Maggie,” Bloomberg’s campaign advisor insisted. “Size matters to Trump. But it’s the size of the deficit, the size of Trump’s ego, and the scale of our Constitutional crisis that do actually bother Mike.”
The “height thing” actually doesn’t bother Mike, Maggie.
Size matters to Trump.
But it’s the size of the deficit, the size of Trump’s ego, and the scale of our Constitutional crisis that do actually bother Mike. https://t.co/NuClsH15I9
— Tim O'Brien (@TimOBrien) February 13, 2020
The Times reporter shot back with information she apparently gathered during her past coverage of Bloomberg.
“I’m going to disagree with you as someone who covered him in his 2001 campaign and for many years after, Tim,” she wrote. “Typically people who are not bothered don’t put down the wrong height on their driver’s license.”
I’m going to disagree with you as someone who covered him in his 2001 campaign and for many years after, Tim. Typically people who are not bothered don’t put down the wrong height on their driver’s license. https://t.co/ohlGUBsmJX
— Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) February 13, 2020
Bloomberg responded to Trump’s tweeting on Thursday.
“[Donald Trump] – we know many of the same people in NY,” he wrote. “Behind your back they laugh at you & call you a carnival barking clown. They know you inherited a fortune & squandered it with stupid deals and incompetence.”
“I have the record & the resources to defeat you. And I will,” Bloomberg promised.
.@realDonaldTrump – we know many of the same people in NY. Behind your back they laugh at you & call you a carnival barking clown. They know you inherited a fortune & squandered it with stupid deals and incompetence.
I have the record & the resources to defeat you. And I will. https://t.co/fO4azmZaUg
— Mike Bloomberg (@MikeBloomberg) February 13, 2020
According to NBC News, the candidate even mentioned the president’s Twitter remarks Thursday during a campaign event in North Carolina.
“Somebody said, you know, that he’s tall and he calls me little Mike, and the answer is, Donald, where I come from we measure your height from your neck up,” he said.
“I am not afraid of Donald Trump. Donald Trump is afraid of us, and that’s why he keeps tweeting all the time,” Bloomberg told potential voters.
“If he doesn’t mention you, you got a big problem,” he added. “But the president attacked me again this morning on Twitter. Thank you very much, Donald. He sees our poll numbers, and I think it’s fair to say he is scared because he knows I have the record and the resources to defeat him, and with you, with you together, we can get it done.”