Barack Obama has a head start on working with Congress

The president-elect's team expands on already close ties to gather facts and seek support for his agenda -- a stark contrast to the approaches of his Democratic predecessors. > As chairman of his party's congressional campaign committee, Rahm Emanuel helped scores of current House Democrats win their seats. When Tom Daschle was the Senate Democratic leader, he funneled more than $1 million to a new generation of lawmakers seeking office. (link)