Mayor elect Rahm Emanuel to meet with Obama on Friday at the White House

WASHINGTON–Mayor-elect Rahm Emanuel will make his first return to the White House since he left as President Obama’s Chief of Staff on Friday, when he meets with his former boss in the Oval Office.

Obama hosted a lavish White House send-off ceremony for Emanuel on Oct. 1 and was supportive of his candidacy. The two continued to talked regularly, Emanuel said during his campaign.

Emanuel will spend the next two weekends here to be with his family–still camped out in D.C. until the school year is finished–now that the campaign is over. His swearing-in is not until mid-May.

A week from Saturday–March 12–Emanuel will be the guest of the Chicago Sun-Times at the Gridiron Club annual dinner here, which Obama will attend.

The day before–Friday, March 11–the Stanley Cup winning Chicago Blackhawks will be at the White House to be honored by Obama and First Lady Michelle, with the invite list to include–no wonder–at lot of Chicagoans. No official word on whether Emanuel will attend, but I would bet on it.

Emanuel was the Democratic Gridiron Club speaker the dinner in 2007–he was then in House leadership–with the other headliner Republican Mitt Romney, who was running–the first time–for president.

As many now well know from his residency challenge, Emanuel moved from Chicago to Washington in 2009 to become Obama’s White House chief of staff, with his family later coming here to join him.

His wife, Amy and three children, enrolled in local elementary schools, remained in Washington–in a house near the National Cathedral–when he returned to Chicago to launch his mayoral bid.

Quipped former President Clinton at the 2010 Gridiron Club dinner: “I found Rahm. I created Rahm. I made him the man he is today. I am so sorry,” joked Clinton.