Matt Flamm, Palatine
President Obama quickly won over Matt Flamm and a hundred others gathered for the Palatine Township Democrats meeting in April 2003.
A "disarming" Obama arrived alone in his Jeep and spoke to the group early in his bid for the U.S. Senate. "I said, 'Wow. This guy is terrific. Too bad nobody's going to vote for a guy named Barack Obama,'" recalls Flamm, 55, of Palatine.
Still, the attorney was inspired and eventually volunteered for Obama's presidential run, organizing canvassing trips to Iowa and phone banks for Northwest suburban residents. Now, he's headed to Washington, D.C., with wife Betty, lucky inauguration ticketholders courtesy of U.S. Rep Melissa Bean.
"There are tremendous challenges facing our country, and this is an extraordinary, once-in-a-lifetime leader," said Flamm. "It's a great moment in our history coming together."