ABC Carpet & Home Prepares for an Obama Dinner THE idea of holding a political fund-raiser at a carpet store may not seem like the most obvious one at first. But then, ABC Carpet & Home is no ordinary rug shop, with its seven levels of artfully arrayed (and sometimes exorbitantly priced) carpets, chandeliers and accouterment. And President Obama, of course, is no ordinary candidate. And so it is that the two will join forces Thursday night at what will undoubtedly be an impeccably designed party. ABC Home's chief executive and creative director, Paulette Cole, is co-chairwoman, and guests will be fed by Jean-Georges Vongerichten, who will man the helm at the elegant, organic backroom bistro, ABC Kitchen. All of which left Ms. Cole, a Democrat, sounding positively patriotic. "We sort of see our role as having an opportunity to serve," she said, sitting at an $8,500 dining table. And the event, she added, was a chance to "amplify initiatives and work that we're really, really passionate about." But such an honor comes with all manner of complications, including a daunting level of secrecy about everything from exactly when Mr. Obama will arrive to whether he'll buy a wall hanging while he's there. Neither ABC nor the Obama campaign, for example, would comment on the fund-raiser's menu, though one can imagine it will be locally grown, lovingly prepared and, no doubt, deliciously liberal. "It doesn't mean knishes or hot dogs, that's for sure," said Phil Suarez, Mr. Vongerichten's business partner. At $35,800 a plate - no, that's not a typo - it had better not be hot dogs. The dinner at ABC Kitchen, mind you, is only the first part of the evening, which also includes a more affordable $1,000-a-person gala in the store itself. The preparation for that celebration, which will feature the music of Ingrid Michaelson, the Roots and Ben Folds, has necessitated the temporary dismantling of some of the store's elaborate setups. On the second floor, workers have removed an untold number of high-end home furnishings to make way for the hundreds of Obama loyalists, the decorator's equivalent of clear-cutting a forest. More undecorating is also under way on the first floor, which is usually a carefully cluttered showroom filled with the kind of decorative accessories (peace buttons, Tibetan arts and crafts) unlikely to be seen in Mitt Romney's foyer. Indeed, Republicans have already been mocking the event. Kirsten Kukowski, a spokeswoman for the Republican National Committee, said it showed that the president had "removed himself from the hope-and-change magical carpet ride" and was willing to "do whatever it takes to win re-election." Including, it seems, giving a speech in a room accessorized with an $18,000 piece of salvaged driftwood. While he's at ABC, Mr. Obama will mingle with another of the event's chairmen, Deepak Chopra, the mind-body practitioner, who uses ABC's mezzanine as his home base, where he keeps an office. Mr. Chopra said he was proud to help the president, who has "displayed complete loyalty to reasoned policies" and needs another term. "Through 30 years of reactionary conditioning, we've allowed basic values to deteriorate," Mr. Chopra wrote in an e-mail. Indeed, the selection of ABC as a locale for a Democratic fund-raiser is no great stretch considering the store's ethos, which includes fighting global warming, minimizing environmental damage and invoking phrases like "social responsibility." Somewhere, you can hear Rush Limbaugh screaming. "We aspire to manifest a universal exchange where spirit, sustainability, culture, currency and creation coexist," reads a passage from the company's mission handbook. A holistic sensory experience to inform and inspire participation. To inspire that participation - both voter and donor - ABC's design team has spent the better part of the last week adjusting the store's mise-en-scène to create both a private, secure environment for the president (hence the painted curtains now covering the second-floor windows) and a good spot for a good time (the newly installed bar and stage on the second floor). All of which has been made with ABC's usual eye for detail. "It's a little bit of a Zen exercise," Ms. Cole said, adjusting a small strand of metallic yarn adorning a chandelier. "Each one of these stops here is trying to communicate with you," she added, referring to the store's carefully arranged vignettes. Of course, communication will be Mr. Obama's goal as well, with a stump speech that is sure to hit many of the themes he sees as key to his re-election: the rebounding economy, the need for a strong middle class, the American dream. By the same token, Ms. Cole said she saw the event as an opportunity to push some of the store's core values. Her subtle (and stylish) lobbying effort includes decorating the store's exterior windows using a series of icons with labels like "good wood," "local economy" and "indigenous," which she hopes will catch the president's eye. "We've kind of created our wish list in the windows," Ms. Cole said. If he looks at our windows on the way out, we've created our message.