Obama turns to Al Sharpton for help in 2012 election

Obama will be speaking for the first time as commander in chief at the annual convention of the National Action Network and standing with its founder, Al Sharpton - whom Obama largely ignored before his 2008 election. The speech at the Sheraton in midtown - coming just days after Obama held two events in Harlem - indicates that Obama, who is battling slipping poll numbers, is trying to bolster his standing among African-Americans, political scientists said. "It proves again that 2012 will be very different than 2008," said Larry Sabato of the University of Virginia. "Then, Obama was very wary of the race issue and of being labeled as a 'black candidate.' But some of the enthusiasm surrounding that election has faded," said Sabato. "He needs an injection of energy and Sharpton can provide some of that, at least in the black community."