Obama takes it to another level at the Rubin Museum

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[media-credit name="Photos by Bob Krasner" align="aligncenter" width="600"][/media-credit]The Obama Victory Fund 2012 rented the Rubin Museum of Art, at 17th St. and Seventh Ave., on Monday, filling it with about 200 supporters who had contributed toward the campaign at various levels.

The museum is dedicated to the art of the Himalayas and surrounding regions.

Twenty or so of the big contributors, including Donald and Shelley Rubin — the museum’s co-founders — and their family, spent quality time with the president on the Chelsea museum’s third floor. They also had the chance to chat with Eva Longoria and Ricky Martin, who was given the honor of introducing Obama later on.

The high-powered group then joined more patrons on the second floor, where they posed with the commander in chief for an official portrait, taken by the White House photographer.

The event culminated on the first floor, where the rest of the crowd was waiting with an air of excitement usually reserved for rock stars. The president came out smiling, and gave Martin a plug for his current performance on Broadway in “Evita.” Then Obama got serious, discussing the economy, fairness in the workplace, student loans, fuel efficiency, healthcare and marriage equality, all with an intensity and charisma.

First-row patrons were thrilled to be treated to a hearty handshake before Obama went on to the next event, trailed by a small mass of Secret Service agents.