Jennifer Harper

A graduate of Syracuse University, Jennifer Harper writes the daily Inside the Beltway column and provides additional coverage of breaking national news, plus long-term trends in politics, media issues, public opinion, popular culture, Hollywood foibles and “eureka” moments in health and science.

She has been a frequent broadcast commentator on CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, C-SPAN, Voice of America, Citadel Broadcasting, Talk Radio Network and other news organizations. Born in Elizabeth, N.J., Ms. Harper grew up in Texas and arrived in Washington in time for Watergate -- and has been tracking the political and media landscape ever since.

She is an active member of the American Federation of TV Radio Artists and Screen Actors Guild. She has won 14 journalism awards during her years at The Washington Times.

To read Jennifer Harper's Inside the Beltway columns, click here. Contact her at jharper@washingtontimes.com.

Follow @harperbulletin

Articles by Jennifer Harper

Inside the Beltway

So many bouts, so little time. And dueling news sites, too. Arianna Huffington recently caught criticism - and a class-action lawsuit - for not paying bloggers who contributed to her much-visited website. Published April 18, 2011

Inside the Beltway

Is he a conservative or Republican in "name only"? Published April 17, 2011

Donald Trump, mulling a White House run, will lend his celebrity to a tea party rally Saturday in Florida also featuring Rep. Allen B. West. (South Florida Tea Party)

Inside the Beltway

The trio are out and about this weekend. Sarah Palin will rally with an Americans for Prosperity "Tea Party Tax Day" event in Madison, Wis., on Saturday at high noon. Published April 14, 2011

AP falls for GE tax-refund hoax

Some deft hoaxsters almost convinced the news media that General Electric decided to donate its entire $3.2 billion tax refund to the U.S. Treasury. Published April 13, 2011

Inside the Beltway

Forget about civility. Let's go for maturity. Republicans are ready for an "adult conversation," not a "Hail Mary speech," on the nation's economy. So says National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus in the aftermath of President Obama's "remarks on fiscal policy," as his speech was billed by the White House. Published April 13, 2011

Arianna Huffington faces harsh words from a disgruntled blogger.

Inside the Beltway

A $200 million federal public relations campaign to trumpet health care reform? Published April 12, 2011

The Strike Productions
"Atlas Shrugged," a film based on the 1957 novel by Ayn Rand and billed as "the first tea party movie," opens in 277 theaters across the country on Friday, which just so happens also to be tax day.

Inside the Beltway

"Believe in America." And with that phrase and a modest video, Mitt Romney launched his 2012 presidential on Monday, joining Tim Pawlenty and Herman Cain, who have also declared their White House intent. Published April 11, 2011

Inside the Beltway

And lots of them. Americans are not the only ones keenly interested in the words "money" and "dollars" this week Published April 10, 2011

The "conservative feminist"? Poltical commentator Andrea Tantaros gives an update on the idea at the Heritage Foundation. (Image from Andrea Tantaros.com)

Inside the Beltway

Yes, there's the budget, the debt, health care reform and terrorism to worry about. Now comes deadly antibiotic-resistant super bacteria. Published April 7, 2011

Glenn Beck will end his Fox News Channel program later this year and "transition" into a producing role. His show is the third-highest-rated news program on cable TV. (Associated Press)

Beck announces end of popular Fox News show

Uber-popular Fox News Channel host Glenn Beck will end his daily program on the network later this year and "transition" into a behind-the-scenes role as a producer both in broadcast and online. His departure was jointly announced Wednesday by Fox News and Mercury Radio Arts, Mr. Beck's production company, and not without drama. Published April 6, 2011

Inside the Beltway

A sign of the times as Friday looms. An inventive Inside the Beltway reader - and federal employee - has developed a 99-cent smartphone application to offer his fellow federal employees "operating status" information about a potential government shutdown, should Republicans and Democrats continue to wrangle over the budget. Published April 6, 2011

Maine among ‘most peaceful’ states in U.S.

Those who seek the proverbial peaceful life should head to Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Minnesota or North Dakota — the "most peaceful" states in the nation, says the first-ever United States Peace Index. Published April 6, 2011

A Harris Poll found less than a third thought a "mock swearing-in featuring Jefferson Davis" was appropriate for commemorating the Civil War. (National Archives via Associated Press)

Inside the Beltway

The impending 150th anniversary of the start of the Civil War prompted the Harris Poll to gauge American sentiment on what the pollsters deemed "a dark yet formative period in U.S. history." Published April 5, 2011

Inside the Beltway

Brace for impact. Here come the "Obama-Biden 2012" bumper stickers, destined for every Prius in the nation. Published April 4, 2011

"Idiots like Bill O'Reilly on Fox News won't have me on their show," Jesse Ventura says. (Associated Press)

Inside the Beltway

"Am I going to run for office again? Right now, I might say 'no.' But I've learned after 59 years on this planet that you never say 'never.' If Congressman Ron Paul called me, I would consider being on his ticket. Whether I'm in as president or vice president, we'd have to flip a coin," Jesse Ventura tells Inside the Beltway, brimming with admiration for the Texas Republican. Published April 3, 2011

Quayle

Inside the Beltway

"Every 21 minutes, our next possible leader is aborted," says a billboard motto on the South Side of Chicago from the pro-life group Life Always, emblazoned with a portrait of President Obama. Published March 31, 2011

MLB Commissioner Bud Selig was told by health officials in 15 cities that baseball should not associate itself with smokeless tobacco, "a product that causes disease and death." (Associated Press)

Inside the Beltway

The prospect of a possible government shutdown April 8 is either good, bad, ugly or a strategically useful tool, depending on which lawmaker is doing the talking. Published March 30, 2011

Sammon

Inside the Beltway

Media Matters for America has declared "war" on Fox News in the past week, with much public whispering and innuendo that surely there is a mole - a secret source within the network supplying Media Matters with internal information - to feed cause and content. Published March 29, 2011

“63 Documents the Government Doesn’t Want You to Read” is former Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura's fifth book.

Inside the Beltway

"To Congressman Ron Paul, the only federal elected official who will stand up for Americans on the congressional floor," says Jesse Ventura, in the dedication of his fifth book, "63 Documents the Government Doesn't Want You to Read." Published March 28, 2011

Inside the Beltway

Oh, those excruciating details. Media watchers note that President Obama's big speech on Libya begins at 7:30 p.m. on Monday, not 8 p.m., the normal start of prime time. Published March 27, 2011