Much to His Chagrin, 'Plain Old Barack Is Gone'

Armed agents patrol from the back of Obama's motorcade. (By Charles Dharapak -- Associated Press)

The move could be particularly jarring for Michelle Obama, whose social and professional life is interwoven with Hyde Park, where until recently she held a prominent position at the University of Chicago Hospitals. She grew up a few minutes from their current home and has lived away from Chicago only during her time at Princeton University and at Harvard Law School. She is on the boards of an African dance company and her daughters' private school.

The future first lady will have a far more public role than she is used to. But at least initially, she plans to focus on helping her family adjust -- her husband to his new job, her children to Sidwell Friends School.

"She will be engaged. You will see her at the school. Parents will get to know her," another Chicago friend predicted. "I don't think they'll be walled in the Rose Garden."

Giannoulias said: "It's going to be a totally different life. Hopefully they can find places or relationships where things are still normal."

That rare space of normalcy is where Link thought he had guided his phone conversation with Obama last week. He congratulated the president-elect and joked with him about life in the Illinois Senate, and they laughed together at an old memory. "Hey," Obama said before hanging up, "let me give you my new phone number."

Then he paused.

"By the way," Obama said, "don't you dare give that number to anybody else."

Slevin reported from Chicago.