By: Christina Bellantoni and Katelyn Polantz

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said she takes full responsibility for the deficiencies in the health care website at a hearing before the Energy and Commerce Committee on Wednesday. Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

In politics, everyone has bad days.

Wednesday certainly wasn't the worst one President Barack Obama has seen, but his signature domestic achievement was on trial before House Republicans in charge of the Energy and Commerce Committee.

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius diffused some of the fireworks early in her testimony by taking responsibility for some of the failures of HealthCare.gov in the rollout of the federal insurance exchanges this month.

"Hold me accountable for the debacle. I'm responsible," she said.

As Sebelius spoke, HealthCare.gov was down, giving television networks carrying the hearing an opportunity to do one of those unfortunate split screens.

The president was on the road to trumpet the Affordable Care Act, and defended his administration while saying it can do better.

And a new poll from NBC News/Wall Street Journal found Mr. Obama's approval rating had declined to "an all-time low."

Senior political editor Mark Murray writes that just 42 percent approve of the president's job performance, a drop of five points from last month. And the survey found 51 percent disapprove.

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Health care scrutiny tests White House