President Barack Obama is fighting to maintain control of the American political agenda after being rocked by a series of setbacks.

He has admitted "screwing up" key White House appointments and now faces possible defeat in the Senate over his economic stimulus bill.

He was also condemned by High Court judges in Britain after it emerged his administration was standing by a threat to halt intelligence co-operation in a row over the alleged torture of a Guantanamo Bay detainee.

Despite his best efforts, Mr Obama found himself being compared to George W. Bush, viewed among the Washington establishment as the epitome of an out-of-touch president.

During a round of television interviews in the US he said he had made an error in his handling of the Health secretary nomination of Tom Daschle, who was forced to pull out because of unpaid taxes.

Mr Obama has tried to create a contrast with his predecessor who was famously stumped when asked in 2004 what mistakes he'd made. He was eager to admit he'd erred, saying: "I messed up, I screwed up," Obama told CBS.

"It's important for this administration to send a message that there aren't two sets of rules – you know, one for prominent people and one for ordinary folks who have to pay their taxes."

He told NBC: "I'm frustrated with myself, with our team. I'm here on television saying I screwed up." The mea culpa was repeated again and again using almost the same words.

During what turned out to be the worst day of his young presidency just after Mr Daschle had withdrawn after his unconvincing explanations about how he had neglected to pay $128,000 in taxes on a limousine, Mr Obama and his wife Michelle slipped out to visit a school.

"We were just tired of

(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk …