Rahm Emanuel's White House Visitor Trail

Today we learned what we knew all week: White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel is leaving the White House to pursue a bid to be the next Mayor of Chicago. Emanuel leaves behind him one of the most powerful positions in national politics, one which his presence made even more important.

The contacts that he made while in the White House won't be leaving him behind. In fact, they're saved on the Internet thanks to the White House's policy of disclosing their visitor logs. Who visited Emanuel and what could that mean for his future -- and the White House's?

Chicago Players:

Emanuel is going to need friends in Chicago as he explores a mayoral bid. What better place to start than those who you got into the White House? Some of Emanuel's visitors are big Chicago businessmen, lobbyists and politicians.

These Chicago players include business leaders Sam Zell, The Tribune Company, John Rowe, Exelon, Leo Melamed, Chicago Mercantile Exchange, Thomas Lanctot, William Blair & Company, Howard Gottlieb and Patrick Cermak, Wight & Company.

Those in the political realm include Bill Daley, former Commerce Secretary and brother to current Mayor Richard Daley, John Cullerton, President of the Illinois State Senate, Sheila Gutman, major Democratic donor and Emanuel's own former staffer John Borovicka, now with William & Blair.

To read more and view the full database of Rahm Emanuel's visitor logs follow the link back to the Sunlight Foundation.