Christine C. Quinn dismissed him as an empty suit "who is really good at telling other people what to do, but not always so good at getting things done."
When it was his turn, Anthony D. Weiner even suggested that he might be implicated in a federal corruption investigation.
In a prime-time rumpus that was by turns feisty and personal, the Democratic candidates for mayor of New York mounted a furious and unrelenting attack on Bill de Blasio, the public advocate, who has suddenly captured the excitement of left-wing voters and growing support from the city's sought-after black electorate.
At times, taken aback by the intensifying barrage, Mr. de Blasio appealed to the moderator to intervene.
"In professional wrestling," Mr. de Blasio moaned, "they allow tag teams."
On Wednesday night in Midtown Manhattan, that team was Ms. Quinn and Mr. Thompson, who repeatedly and collaboratively raised pointed questions about Mr. de Blasio's accomplishments and credibility.
In the evening's most memorable exchange, Mr. Thompson first demanded that Mr. de Blasio take down a television commercial that depicted himself as the sole candidate prepared to end the racially discriminatory use of the stop-and-frisk police tactic — an inaccurate portrayal, Mr. Thompson said.
Mr. de Blasio dodged the request — but Ms. Quinn, the City Council speaker, was ready with a sneak attack. Using her chance to pose a question to an opponent, a smiling Ms. Quinn turned and asked Mr. Thompson if he was satisfied with Mr. de Blasio's answer.
"No, I am not satisfied," Mr. Thompson, the former city comptroller, said sternly.
Mr. Thompson, who has struggled to unify African-American voters behind his candidacy even though he is the only black candidate, seemed determined to reclaim their affections.
He challenged Mr. de Blasio's claims on the stop-and-frisk tactics, which a federal court just ruled had violated the rights of minorities. "Bill, I certainly don't need lectures from you on this issue," Mr. Thompson said.
On a night dominated by political broadsides, there were plenty of lighter and revealing moments.
Mr. Thompson forswore the private jet weekend excursions of Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, joking, "I don't think the mayor is going to leave me the plane." John C. Liu, the comptroller, allowed that New Yorkers ought to be able to legally drink a beer on their front stoop. All but one candidate said that the city did not have enough surveillance cameras, and, asked if he would move into Gracie Mansion as mayor, Mr. Weiner, the former Congressman, replied, "Hell, yes."
Even as it highlighted a new top tier in the field, the evening presented, in stark terms, Mr. Weiner's fallen stature in a race that he once led.
He was ignored by his opponents for much of the debate, and his most memorable moment came after the candidates were asked if they had ever texted while driving.
Mr. Weiner, whose smartphone antics have been well documented, acknowledged that, indeed, he had. "Yes," he said, his cheeks burning red as the audience roared with laughter.
After being perceived as overly scripted during a debate last week, Ms. Quinn appeared newly comfortable and agile on Wednesday. At one point, she opened up about her experience of being gay and not having children. At another, she took a moment to wish a happy 87th birthday to her father, Lawrence, who was in the audience.
Mr. de Blasio, who seemed to struggle with a microphone that could not compete with his height, stuck to a well-worn message of anti-Bloomberg indignation, denouncing the widespread closings of hospitals and the widening gaps between the rich and poor.
"Mayor Bloomberg," he said, "has fiddled while Rome burned and not addressed the inequality crisis."
In an unusual moment of comity, Ms. Quinn rushed to Mr. de Blasio's defense after Mr. Weiner tried linking him to a City Council scandal, without citing evidence. "Casting aspersions on the public advocate like that is just outrageous," Ms. Quinn said. (Mr. de Blasio later thanked her.)
As the front-runners sparred, some of their lesser-known opponents grumbled loudly that they felt ignored. "So do I get to talk at all?" interrupted Sal F. Albanese, a former City Councilman.
Erick J. Salgado, a Brooklyn preacher who is unknown to most voters, joined in the grousing. Feeling unloved, he wondered if his thick inflection was the problem. "I might have an accent," he said, "but I can talk."
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