We are at a political moment that yields headlines like Politico’s recent “GOP scrambles to assuage women’s groups.” Such copy must have delighted Democrats on the Hill: It means they had managed to back Republicans into a corner. Said scramble was over the Violence Against Women Act, which contains expanded protections that Republicans have accused Democrats of adding to make them look anti-woman. Senate Republicans reluctantly allowed VAWA to pass, but on Wednesday the House passed a version stripped of those expanded protections. Since women’s groups have not been “assuaged” by that Republican answer to VAWA and the White House has threatened to veto a bill without the protections for Native American, immigrant and LGBT victims, Republicans can pick between falling in line and looking like, well, misogynistic jerks.