Hours after the GOP made a sweeping clean victory in 2014's midterm elections and gained control of the Senate, President Barack Obama turned to top civil rights leaders, including Al Sharpton, at the White House to offer him strong support on Wednesday.
Obama is reportedly known for often consulting a constituency of black political leaders as opposed to the infrequent meetings he holds with GOP leaders, according to Breitbart.
Wednesday's meeting included a discussion of ObamaCare implementation, education and criminal justice issues, according to a White House official.
"The president also highlighted how we are looking forward to working with the leaders over the next two years to advance these and other critical issues facing the country," the official said.
Some of the leaders present at the meeting included NAACP President Cornell Brooks, National Urban League President Marc Morial, National Coalition on Black Civic Participation President Melanie Campbell, Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights President Wade Henderson, and NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund President Sherrilyn Ifill.
Rev. Sharpton, who is known to be a frequent visitor at the White House, recently conducted an interview with Obama that ruffled a few feathers and prompted consternation from some vulnerable Democrats, according to The Hill.
During the interview, Sharpton asked Obama about the much-hyped distance that several members of the Democratic Party were showcasing on the campaign trail.
"So some of the candidates there - it is difficult for them to have me in the state because the Republicans will use that to try to fan Republican turnout," Obama said.
"The bottom line is though, these are all folks who vote with me; they have supported my agenda in Congress; they are on the right side of minimum wage; they are on the right side of fair pay; they are on the right side of rebuilding our infrastructure; they're on the right side of early childhood education."
Meanwhile, the official would not comment on whether a replacement for Attorney General Eric Holder was discussed during Wednesday's meeting.
"We have a number of outstanding candidates who we're taking a look at now" but that a nomination would come "in due course," the president said in a press conference Wednesday afternoon.
"I'm confident that we'll find somebody who is well-qualified, will elicit the confidence of the American people, will uphold their constitutional obligations of rule of law and will get confirmed by the Senate," Obama said.
