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On Wednesday night, political power-dining in New York was a tale of two Als.

The 69th Annual Al Smith Dinner was held in the grand ballroom of the Waldorf Astoria. Two and a half blocks away, Al Sharpton threwhis 60th birthday party at the Four Seasons restaurant. The events had their differences, yet spoke to each other.

The Alfred E. Smith dinner began with official introductions as the white-tie worthies fill the seats of a four-tier dais. "The honorable Andrew M. Cuomo, 56th governor of the state of New York," intoned an announcer in an upbeat basso profundo. "Dr. Henry A. Kissinger, former secretary of state, United States of America."

Reporters watched from a sequestered spot in the balcony.

At the Four Seasons, Al Sharpton rolled up in a tailored blue suit with girlfriend Aisha McShaw on his arm. The first thing he did was hit the press scrum to take questions, including one about his influence on New York City policy since the election of Mayor Bill de Blasio.

"I don't think it's really as strange as a lot of people want to try to make it, he said of his newfound insider status. If you have a constituency and can show and deliver that constituency, people are going to respond." He then ascended stairs to The Pool Room to mingle with well-wishers, eat sushi, and await the arrival of celebrities like Spike Lee and Aretha Franklin.

Back at the Waldorf, this years Al Smith honoree was Home Depot founder Kenneth Langone, a billionaire and major Republican fundraiser, whodelivered the event's traditionally cutting after-dinner speech. "What a crowd tonight, he said near the top. Although I don't see the person in charge of the NYPD up here tonight: Al Sharpton."

Langone delivered the line, which got a big laugh, with de Blasio and police commissioner Bill Bratton sitting nearby. It was a reference to the mayor's consultations with Sharpton after Staten Islander Eric Garner died in a police chokehold in July. And it was proof, in a way, that Sharpton has joined the establishment. No one at the high-powered Al Smith dinner bothers to take shots at you unless you've got some clout.

De Blasio would say later, after leaving the Waldorf and dropping in at the Four Seasons, that, "The more people criticize Al Sharpton, the more I want to hang out with him." He mightve said more nice things but Sharpton cut him off. "I don't usually interrupt the mayor, but the Queen is in the room," Sharpton said, meaning of course the one and only, Aretha Franklin.

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Al Sharpton Vs. Al Smith