What the White House Is Saying About Obama's Infighting With Rank-and-File Democrats

— -- Who is the leader of the Democratic Party?

“The president is the leader of the Democratic Party,” Deputy Press Secretary Eric Schultz affirmed to ABC News’ Chief White House Correspondent Jonathan Karl during today’s press briefing.

Schultz confirmation of what is an obvious fact in Washington came at the end of a week that’s been characterized by infighting between the president and members of his own party up the street from the White House on Capitol Hill.

Things got off to a bad start on Tuesday, when Democrats dealt a blow to President Obama by rejecting legislation to grant him “fast-track” authority to approve trade deals.

Senate Democrats ultimately got in line and advanced the legislation in the Senate in a delayed fashion on Thursday, but only after a group of Democrats were called to the White House for a meeting with the president following Tuesday’s vote against the measure.

“If you look at the legislative priorities, the public policy priorities over the past six-and-a-half years now, they enjoy broad support within the Democratic Party, even those who disagree with him on this specific issue of trade,” Schultz said today in an effort to gloss over the president’s recent troubles with congressional Democrats.

But the president was again bucked by his party’s rank-and-file today, when 41 House Democrats voted to approve a $612 billion defense package that the president has signaled he would veto if it reaches his desk.

The White House opposes the so-called National Defense Authorization Act due to sequestration levels and “onerous” restrictions regarding detainees held at Guantanamo Bay.

ABC News’ John Parkinson contributed to this report.