Emanuelformayor.com goes quickly

With the Beltway buzzing over the possibility of White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel leaving to run for mayor of Chicago, it shouldn't come as a shock that at least one Chicago resident is preparing to leverage that possibility to make a quick buck.

Chicago native Shannon Kenny purchased the domain EmanuelForMayor.com on Tuesday, shortly after incumbent Mayor Richard M. Daley announced he wouldn't be seeking reelection in 2011. Emanuel has long been mentioned as a potential successor to Daley, the Second City's second-longest tenured mayor after his father, Richard J. Daley.

When contacted by The Hill, Kenny said she isn't affiliated with Emanuel and plans to sell the domain in the near future, a practice some refer to as "cybersquatting."

"I bought the domain on a whim hoping he runs for Mayor. I planning on auctioning off the domain soon," Kenny said via e-mail.

Update: Kenny said via e-mail that while she initially bought the domain name with the intent to sell it, she would support Emanuel if he decides to run and would happily gift him the domain.

"I initially bought the domain to sell it, but I would support Rahm if he indeed ended up running. I would be more than happy to gift him the domain if he asked for it," Kenny said. "I am from Chicago and I love the city, and I think Mayor Daley left some big shoes to fill. I believe Rahm is one of the very few that would be able to do it."