On Friday, the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, ending the constitutional right to abortion and making abortion illegal in at least eighteen states, with more potentially to follow. Despite ample warning, based both on the justices’ histories and the leak of the decision almost two months before it became official, national Democrats were caught flat-footed. President Joe Biden, to his credit, strongly denounced the ruling, saying, “Today, the Supreme Court of the United States expressly took away a constitutional right from the American people that it had already recognized.”

However, the White House canceled its usual afternoon press briefing Friday, a move that suggested it was unprepared to face questions about how it plans to deal with the fallout. Other Democrats were rightfully quick to blame Republicans but didn’t have much else to offer, besides claiming that justices misled them prior to confirmation hearings and, bizarrely, singing “God Bless America” on the Capitol steps within earshot of protesters angry at the ruling. Then there were the usual cynical fundraising appeals and demands to vote.

Despite knowing this was coming, those seem to be the only ideas anyone in the party leadership had.