Metro

Obama pays tribute to Rev. Al at NYC gala

Looks like Rev. Al has friends in high places.

President Obama, embroiled in a furious battle over the federal budget, swept into New York last night for a star-studded celebration of the Rev. Al Sharpton’s National Action Network and gave the beaming civil-rights leader a rousing slap on the back.

“Some things have changed a lot since 1991. I told Rev. Al backstage he’s getting skinnier than me,” the president joked about his formerly portly pal during a keynote address celebrating the 20th anniversary of Sharpton’s organization.

“But he hasn’t lost his style,” Obama said.

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The president heartily embraced the once-embattled reverend with a handshake and a hug at the Sheraton Hotel & Towers in Midtown before addressing a crowd of about 600, including such luminaries as Bill Cosby, Magic Johnson, Stevie Wonder, David Dinkins, Spike Lee and Martin Luther King III.

Administration officials such as Attorney General Eric Holder, Education Secretary Arne Duncan and Housing and Urban Development head Shaun Donovan were also on hand.

“The other thing that hasn’t changed is the National Action Network’s commitment to fight injustice and inequality here in New York City and across America,” Obama gushed.

“That’s not only a testament to Reverend Sharpton. It’s a testament to all of you who are here tonight. I want to commend you for the work that you’ve done over the last two decades.”

In Sharpton’s remarks introducing the president, the reverend invoked the words of President Kennedy when he urged attendees to determine what they can do to help the administration.

After the event, Obama flew back to the capital for a critical budget meeting with House Speaker John Boehner and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.

The decision to leave the White House and head to New York shows the importance Obama is putting on shoring up his African-American support.

Though polls say 90 percent of African-Americans back the president, his campaign wants to make sure they turn out at the polls on Election Day.

It also shows Obama is willing to overlook the reverend’s controversial past, including Sharpton’s role in the 1987 Tawana Brawley debacle in which he supported a teen who falsely accused six men, including cops, of raping her.

Some guests couldn’t help but notice how Sharpton’s image has evolved from tracksuit-wearing rabble-rouser to DC Beltway insider.

“Sharpton started in the outhouse. Now the White House comes to him,” quipped one person in attendance, who marveled at how Sharpton and Obama yesterday were “joined at the hip.”

Obama at times sounded like he was in full campaign mode. He made sure to touch on jobs, a major issue for black America.

“We’re making progress,” he said. “But we’re not there yet. So long as there are Americans who cannot find work, I will be fighting for jobs,” the president said.

“That’s the first thing I think about when I wake up and the last thing I think about when I go to sleep at night.

“Everybody is in this together.”

Yesterday, African-American leaders at the event said they appreciated his gesture.

“Now that Obama’s made the announcement to run for re-election, I think it’s significant that he is here,” said Shirley Neal, executive VP of The Africa Channel.

“I think there are a lot of powerful supporters here. This is a good opportunity to speak directly to them,” she said.

Additional reporting by Carl Campanile