While Democrats search for a new party leader, one old name keeps coming up in conversation: Rahm Emanuel.

The Democrat has been an investment banker, congressman, White House chief of staff, Chicago mayor, and U.S. ambassador to Japan, and now he's been thinking about adding another title to his long resume: president.

There's just one problem: “As well-known as he is, people don't really know him,” said former Rep. Steve Israel (D-N.Y.), who is in touch with his former House colleague.

Still, Israel and other Democrats familiar with Emanuel, 65, say it would be unwise to count him out.

After all, Democrats say there aren’t many people on the list of potential candidates who can raise money and organize better than Emanuel, who helped run the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee in 2006 and was credited with flipping the House back to Democrats in that cycle.

“What fascinates me about him is that for him it’s all about winning,” Israel said. “And he knows how to win the most challenging of battles.”

Emanuel hasn’t made a decision about whether he’ll run for president and the Democratic nomination.

Sources close to him say he’s still making up his mind while consulting with his family (including his brother Ari Emanuel, the Hollywood mega agent) and other key Democratic allies.

But........

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