NFL

After spring phone call from Obama, Giants’ Cruz excited about president’s re-election

One day during last spring’s Organized Team Activity practices, Victor Cruz was summoned to the phone in the lobby of the Timex Performance Center. The President of the United States was calling and he wanted to speak directly to Cruz.

“They just kind of reached out to me, when you get a phone call from the President you don’t tell him you’ll call him back, you go answer the phone,’’ Cruz recalled yesterday of his talk with President Obama. “He asked me if I could be helpful to his campaign and I told him whatever I could do to help.

“He just told me how much of a fan he was of me and how if I wanted to help out, if I wanted to be a voice for the young people and help him out in any way possible. I told him of course.’’

Cruz then paused and added, “I was trying not to freaking blush the whole time.’’

Cruz accepted and what followed was the birth of an athlete for Obama.

Before the call, Cruz, back in late February after the Giants’ Super Bowl triumph, was invited to an Obama fundraiser at ABC Carpet and Home in Manhattan, where he got the chance to meet the President for the first time.

“I met him there, he shook my hand and instantly started doing the salsa when I first saw him,’’ Cruz said. “That was pretty cool. It was just one of the coolest things I ever had to do, to meet him.’’

Cruz traveled to Florida during the summer and spoke at several rallies in the Miami area, mostly speaking in Spanish hoping to persuade the Latino community to vote for Obama. He was emailed talking points for phone interviews in New Mexico, Colorado and Philadelphia, targeting Latino voters. As recently as the morning of Election Day, Cruz was on the phone doing interviews supporting the President.

“I’ve been on the hunt, I’ve been on the prowl for him,’’ Cruz said.

As the returns came in Tuesday night, Cruz watched for as long as he could, fell asleep on the couch and — knowing Tom Coughlin expected him on time early yesterday morning for practice — went to bed before the official call went to Obama.

“I was very excited. It’s big for our community, it’s big for minorities, it’s big for the Latin culture, the Latin community — it’s big for all of us,’’ Cruz said. “Hope he continues to do some positive things for us and I’m excited to have him back for another term.

“I heard 71 percent of Latinos went out and voted. That’s always positive for us.’’

Cruz is in line for a new contract and will move into a higher tax bracket but — with a friend in the White House — said, “Hopefully he can lessen some of those taxes for me.’’ Cruz could not persuade Obama to become a Giants fan, however.

“Unfortunately he’s still a Bears fan, he’s happy they’re doing pretty good this year, although he hasn’t thrown it in my face yet,’’ Cruz said.