The danger for Mr. Obama was not that labor unions would not support him in 2012. The danger was that they would not support him enthusiastically — that their passions for him from four years ago would have faded. That could translate into difficulty for Mr. Obama, especially in key states where union membership is high and presidential politics is competitive.
Were it not for the battle in Wisconsin, Mr. Obama would have faced a difficult task: how to fire up the labor union voters without alienating the independents he is clearly trying to court. How to win back the left while embracing a more centrist, pragmatic agenda and seeking a more cooperative relationship with Republicans in Washington.
But Mr. Walker, by sparking the Wisconsin fight over collective bargaining, may have awoken the sleeping giant, not only in his state, but across the nation.
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