On Thursday night, the Democratic party appeared to be in disarray over the Obama administration’s decree that private insurance plans, including those offered by religious organizations, must provide free coverage of contraception, sterilization procedures, and abortifacients.

At least five Democratic senators had broken ranks and publicly criticized the mandate as a violation of freedom of conscience or religious liberty. Stories of administration infighting—pitting opponents of the policy such as Vice President Joe Biden against supporters of the policy such as Health and Human Services Secretary Kahtleen Sebelius—began popping up in the press. And Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid scrambled to block a vote on a bill protecting conscience rights.