Two years ago Barack Obama told his early supporters in the nascent “Draft Obama” movement that he wanted no part of a “vanity campaign” in which he would make nice speeches and then lose. He was also wary of developing a “cult of personality,” Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak told Minnesota Public Radio by phone this morning from the site of Obama’s inauguration.

Instead, Obama told Rybak he wanted a grassroots movement in which even his Inauguration Day would be a celebration of people beyond himself, Rybak recalled. Rybak, who is seated only 40 rows from where Obama takes the oath of office today, is sometimes said to be the first mayor to have endorsed Obama for president.

Last week Rybak announced his intention to run for re-election this year, ending speculation that he might get a new job in Obama’s administration, but pointedly not ending speculation that he might run for governor in 2010.

Meanwhile, Rybak’s chief challenger in the race for mayor, Minneapolis Neighborhood Revitalization Program Director Bob Miller, issued a special campaign email for today’s occasion:

Happy Inauguration Day! On this historic day I join President Obama in celebrating the progress we’ve made and looking forward to the work ahead. Over the next seven weeks, I will highlight my plans in key areas for Minneapolis’ future.