Weaponizing the Press
C.J. projects treaty inevitability amid Konanov rumors and Mitchell threats through razor-sharp podium deflections, then feeds controlled lame-duck leaks to Danny Concannon in hallway ambushes and office pursuits, framing public pressure to coerce Senate ratification while masking White House intent—balancing flirtatious collegiality with irritated fury to shape narratives against operational frenzy.
Events Exemplifying This Theme
In the packed Press Briefing Room, C.J. Cregg masterfully controls the narrative: she flatly denies Vasily Konanov's meetings with high-level officials like Nancy McNally, limiting him to low-stakes Balkans advisors. …
In the yellow hallway transitioning to her office, C.J. sharply confronts Danny over the Washington Post's fourth anti-Test Ban Treaty editorial in two weeks, accusing him of involvement and threatening …
Danny follows C.J. into her office, seizing on her call to the majority leader's spokesperson to press for confirmation of a lame duck Senate session crucial for Test Ban Treaty …