Obama raised his cash on the backs of longtime Clinton donors like Ron Blaylock, a major Democratic contributor who gave Obama more than $1,000 and has signed on to raise thousands more.
Just last year, Blaylock ponied up $4,200 to Clinton, the maximum allowed at the time - and tried to give more but had his cash returned because he'd reached the limit. He gave another $2,000 for her inaugural Senate bid in 2000.
And there's Ray McGuire, a CitiGroup bigwig who gave big bucks to Obama over the past three months after forking over $4,200 to Clinton last May and another $1,000 for her 2000 Senate bid.
They join big-name African-American moneymen in New York who backed Clinton in the past but are jumping to Obama, including Earl Graves ($2,000), Robert Smith ($1,500), Vaughn Williams ($1,000) and Jason Wright ($2,100).
Other New York Democratic fat cats going from the front-runner to the fresh face are John Rhea and Gordon Davis, who each gave Clinton $1,000 last year, and Vivienne LaBorde, who handed Clinton $400 for her walkover 2006 re-election campaign.
Obama has also snagged the son of one member of Clinton's inner circle, hubby Bill's former treasury secretary, Robert Rubin - who is helping the former first lady craft economic positions.
Rubin's son, James, a partner with JPMorgan's private equity fund, gave Clinton $2,500 last year. But now he's forking over thousand-dollar checks to Obama.
And it's not just big-money donors jumping to Obama. Small-ticket contributors like Bryant Park Hotel doorman Gregory Smith, profiled in The Post yesterday, are flocking to his fresh message.
"Hillary, in my eyes, is a professional politician. I have issues with professional politicians. The friends that I have are cynical about politics. That's why I like Barack. He's more believable than Hillary. Barack chose politics to better people," said Smith, who gave Obama $25 online.
Obama is swooping into New York to rake in more cash on Clinton's home turf with a swank Central Park West cash bash, and he'll also yuk it up tonight with David Letterman - aiming to woo young night owls into his camp.