Obama has signaled he wants to govern from the center. Let him do it Congress. -- Democrats' Test Is Keeping Congress, White House in Sync

From The Wall Street Journal:

In his first television interview after winning the White House, President-elect Barack Obama told CBS's "60 Minutes" that his top priorities upon taking office would be the economic meltdown and national security.

Two days later, on Nov. 18, Sen. Edward Kennedy, the ailing elder statesman, made a dramatic appearance on Capitol Hill to call for swift action on health care, a cause some Democrats feel should be tackled only gradually.

The juxtaposition highlights a challenge facing the newly powerful Democrats: keeping the White House and Congress on the same page. One-party rule may sound like a guarantee of harmonious action, but the president and Congress often have different interests, agendas and rhythms.

History is full of cautionary examples. President Jimmy Carter inherited a Congress with even bigger Democratic majorities than Mr. Obama's, but relations were rocky. Bill Clinton, too, came to power with a Democrat-controlled Congress, but quickly bickered with lawmakers over health reform and proceeded to lose the House in 1994.

Congress may quickly pass a controversial "card check" bill, allowing workers to approve unions by signing authorization cards. The bill is the top priority of organized labor, which spent heavily to elect a unified Democratic Washington. Mr. Obama has supported such a bill but may not want to be confronted with having to sign one too quickly, before winning passage of measures with broader support across the political spectrum.