President Obama and first lady Michelle Obama yesterday doled out presidential M&Ms and dried fruit mixes to more than 2,000 trick-or-treaters, marking their Halloween at a White House event partly aimed at honoring military families.

Dressed as superheroes, pirates, fairies and skeletons, the kids came in with their parents from Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C., and lined up on the orange-lighted White House driveway.

Standing outside the White House front door, the Obamas smiled, chatted and passed out cellophane goody bags that were also filled with a sweet dough butter cookie made by White House pastry chef Bill Yosses. Kids also received a National Park Foundation Ranger activity book.

Then the Obamas headed inside to the East Room, where the first couple attended a reception for military families and for the moms and dads who work at the White House, along with their kids.

ROCKERS MIX IT UP AT HALL OF FAME CONCERT

U2 brought three generations of chart-toppers — Mick Jagger, Bruce Springsteen and the Black Eyed Peas — with them onstage Friday at another night of mix-and-match magic at Madison Square Garden.

Metallica brought the thunder to Lou Reed and Ray Davies. It was the second of two concerts to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and they will be edited into an HBO special to be aired on Thanksgiving weekend.

During U2's set, Bono was waxing poetic about the spiritual, physical and political power of rock 'n' roll until finally the Boss had had enough.

"Let's have some fun with it," Springsteen said. They performed U2's "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For," with Bono and Springsteen trading call-and-response vocals during the final verse.

U2 topped the bill for the four hours of music. True to the spirit of Rock Hall events, producers sought some unusual pairings for artists to pay tribute to influences: Annie Lennox and Lenny Kravitz joined Aretha Franklin onstage, and Sting sang "People Get Ready" with Jeff Beck.

MADONNA'S SUPPORT FOR GYPSIES LAUDED

Actor Ethan Hawke has praised Madonna's words of support for Gypsies during her concert in Romania.

Hawke says Madonna "transcended being a pop star" and "drew international attention and shone the spotlight on a level of racism and the need for greater education."

At an August stop in Bucharest on her "Sticky & Sweet"' tour Madonna said widespread discrimination against Eastern Europe's Gypsies, also known as Roma, should end. Thousands of fans responded by booing her.

Hawke commented yesterday in Romania where he is promoting the Ovidiu Rom charity run by his mother, Leslie Hawke. The charity supports education for gypsy children.