September 12, 2005 -- Fernando Ferrer was ripped by families of 9/11 victims and others yesterday when he broke from tradition — by becoming the only mayoral candidate to campaign on the somber fourth anniversary of the terror attacks.

On a day when the other candidates declined to talk about politics out of respect for those killed on Sept. 11, 2001, the Democratic primary front-runner not only publicly met with the Rev. Al Sharpton to crow about winning his endorsement, but blatantly criticized main foe Anthony Weiner.

With a media horde in tow, Ferrer and Sharpton appeared together at the popular Amy Ruth's restaurant in Harlem to discuss the minister's 11th-hour endorsement of Ferrer. The primary election is tomorrow.

But critics — including incensed relatives of 9/11 victims — blasted the politicking as disgraceful on a day when the nation honored the 3,000 people killed on 9/11.

"It's an inappropriate day for politics. It's a day for remembrance," said Herman Badillo, co-chairman of Mayor Bloomberg's re-election campaign and a former mayoral candidate.

Republican incumbent Bloomberg and other Democratic candidates for mayor did attend public events at Ground Zero and in churches — solemn events connected to 9/11.

But the mayor and the Dems suspended TV campaign ads for the day.

Staten Island Councilman Michael McMahon, who backs Democratic Council Speaker Gifford Miller for mayor, called the Sharpton-Ferrer endorsement announcement undignified.

"The horrific memories of that day are still so fresh in the minds of New Yorkers . . . It's almost shocking they wouldn't have respect for the tragedy," he said.

Vincent Ragusa, whose 29-year-old firefighter son, Michael Paul Ragusa, died on 9/11, said of Ferrer and Sharpton:

"I don't think they're in touch with the American people.

"My feelings are, this day should be set aside for remembering the loss. Our country was attacked that day. I personally was attacked. I lost my son. But people feel that they have to put forward their agenda," he said.

Ragusa's feelings were seconded by Bill Doyle, whose son, Joseph, died while working at Cantor Fitzgerald in the WTC.

"I don't see why you have politicking on 9/11," Doyle said. "The only people that should be known today are people that lost loved ones, or rescue workers . . . To try to make it a vote-getter is completely wrong."

Ferrer all but admitted the awkward situation in accepting Sharpton's backing yesterday.

"I'm extremely pleased getting Rev. Sharpton's endorsement and help. But this is not a day to talk about campaigns and tactics. It's a day to remember what the city endured four years ago," he said.

Sharpton said he and Ferrer were not ignoring the tragedy.

He noted that two of the young people who dined with them lost parents on 9/11, and other events they attended yesterday were in memory of the attacks.

But on the same day he handed Ferrer his endorsement, Sharpton also spent time roasting Ferrer's chief rival in the polls, U.S. Rep. Weiner, as a "right-wing" Democrat for voting for the war in Iraq.

Ferrer couldn't resist taking a jab at his opponent, either, saying that while Weiner and other Dems blame the Bush administration for duping them on whether Iraq had weapons of mass destruction, "The net effect is still the same.

"There are well over 1,000 fighting men and women killed [in Iraq]," he said.

Weiner did not respond to the attack against him.

"This is Sept 11. If there is one day on the calendar that we can suspend politics, it should be today," said Weiner, who attended a church in Harlem. "I don't think it's a day for politics."

Fellow Democratic hopefuls C. Virginia Fields and Miller also commemorated 9/11 by attending church services — and refusing to talk politics.

"I'm not here to campaign — I'm here to remember 9/11 victims," Miller said.

A recent New York 1-Newsday poll put Ferrer at 36 percent to Weiner's 26 percent. Fields and Miller had 11 percent each.

The polls are open tomorrow from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Additional reporting by Brigitte Williams