Obama’s terrible, horrible, no good, very bad week

Here’s what they might be saying in the White House this evening: It’s only Wednesday.

It’s been a rough week for the Obama administration with revelations the Justice Department tracked reporters’ phone lines adding to the pressure already building over the response to that attack in Benghazi last September and the IRS’s targeting of conservative groups.

The president began it by sitting next to Attorney General Eric Holder at a Washington memorial for slain police officers.

Holder moved next to the hot seat, where he fielded lawmakers and largely deflected questions about the phone tracking.

A sampling of his responses: “I was not the person who was involved in that decision.” “I was recused in that matter.” “I am not familiar with the reasons why.” “I am simply not a part of the case.” “Uh, I don't know...I don't know.”

Across town, White House Press Secretary Jay Carney didn’t have it much easier at his press briefing.

CNN Contributor Paul Begala was an adviser to President Bill Clinton and has his advice for how this White House can handle the firestorms.

“You have to get out ahead of these things. You have to put everything out,” he told CNN’s Jake Tapper. “There’s another side of it though. You can not be too dismissive. You have to honour (congressional inquiry) even if you think the motive is political.”

Watch more of his advice for the president.