With more of a grin than a gloat Scott McClellan, White House spokesman, on Thursday touted the president's role in passing the trade bill and his success in getting “other important priorities done as well, like energy and the highway bill”.

After weeks of being told he looked like a “piñata”, after hotly defending the White House role in the investigation into the leaking of a CIA agent's name, Mr McClellan's relief in talking about the progress with the domestic agenda, was evident.