The Hill News

The real Rahm Emanuel met his fake and, at least lately, more vulgar alter ego on Wednesday.

The former White House chief of staff and newly mayor-elect of Chicago met the creator of the infamous Twitter personality @MayorEmanuel, who had been tweeting humorous and, more often than not, coarse lines throughout the Chicago mayoral race.

The man behind the now defunct Twitter account is journalist and Columbia College of Chicago professor Dan Sinker. The real and phony Emmanuels met at a local radio station.

Emanuel said during the radio spot that at times during the campaign, the Twitter account personality caught his feelings exactly.

Emmanuel has a reputation for a hot temper and a foul mouth, but his behavior throughout the campaign was calm and his language clean. The Twitter Emmanuel was quite the opposite.

Emanuel was nothing but complementary toward Sinker, saying, "What Dan does is great."

"There are! many times where I said 'my sentiments exactly,' " Emanuel said. "I had this as my outlet. What am I going to do?"

Just before election night the real Emanuel pledged to donate $5,000 to the charity of the author's choice if @MayorEmanuel revealed himself. Earlier this week The Atlantic magazine finally did what other media outlets had failed to do: uncover the author as Dan Sinker.

During the radio program, Emmanuel made good on his pledge, agreeing to donate $5,000 to the Chicago-based Young Chicago Authors, the charity Sinker named. The website causes.com has agreed to match the contribution.