Midnight Poll: The Numbers Call

After a grueling 27‑hour polling push, the White House operation finally closes—an inflection point that forces C.J. and the senior staff to move from crisis mode to decision mode. The finished poll crystallizes political risk and opportunity: it demands action on messaging, containment of a brewing tabloid setup implicating Sam and Laurie, and authorization of risky personnel trades already in motion. Dramatically, the moment functions as a turning point—data transforms diffuse anxiety into concrete choices that will cost careers, reputations, and political capital.