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Jennifer Harper

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.

Articles by Jennifer Harper

Dennis Quaid plays Ronald Reagan in the upcoming feature film "Reagan," a positive portrayal of the 40th president, due in 2023. The production company behind the film have issued a poll revealing that Reagan would do pretty well if he were to run in a theoretical presidential bout with those presidents who followed him. (AP PHOTO)

Reagan’s ongoing popularity carries a message for the Democrats

How would former President Ronald Reagan fare in a theoretical presidential bout against the most recent U.S. presidents? He would do very well, actually. Reagan would best President Biden, with 55% of the respondents opting for the 40th president and 45% for Mr. Biden, this according to Dynata, which conducted a unique survey on behalf of the producers of a unique, forthcoming feature film. Published July 11, 2022

In this June 7, 2013, photo, the placid meadows and hills of Antietam National Battlefield in Sharpburg, Md., are a contrast with the Civil War violence that once raged across this land. So consuming is the serenity at Antietam that it can seduce you into ignoring the story of the mayhem that unfolded here on Sept. 17, 1862. (AP Photo/Cal Woodward)

Antietam National Battlefield seeks public input

There are some big plans for a well-known Civil War battlefield. The National Park Service is in the process of amending a 30-year-old management plan for Antietam National Battlefield, site of the "bloodied single-day battle in American history," the service said in a public announcement. Published July 10, 2022

Popularity ratings for President Biden are plunging according to several new polls, leading analysts to predict that a "red wave" in favor of Republicans will follow in November when voters go to the polls. (AP Photo)

Red tsunami on the way, as Biden popularity craters

Can it get any worse for the White House? Uh, yes. "How low can President Biden go in the polls?" asked CNN, citing the popularity plunge in three separate polls this week from Gallup, Pew Research Center and Monmouth University. Published July 6, 2022

Soldiers with the U.S. Army 3rd Infantry Division, 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team are seen here before being deployed to Germany from Hunter Army Airfield, Wednesday March 2, 2022 in Savannah, Ga. The division sent 3,800 troops as reinforcements for various NATO allies in Eastern Europe. (Stephen B. Morton /Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP)

Group pushes military veterans to join journalism ranks

One journalism organization has a specific mission. That would be Military Veterans in Journalism, a nonprofit group focused on helping military veterans get into the field of journalism and work in America's newsrooms. In an analysis of U.S. Census data, the group found that a mere 2% of those working in the media field are military veterans. Published July 5, 2022

ormer White House press secretary Ari Fleischer has written a new book titled “Suppression, Deception, Snobbery and Bias: Why the Press Gets So Much Wrong — And Just Doesn’t Care." From Broadside Books, it explains the current state of the press and resulting negative fallout for press and public. (Image courtesy of Broadside Books)

Snobbery and bias infecting the press, says new Fleischer book

A former White House press secretary has written a new book, and the title alone articulates how many people feel about the news media. And here it is: "Suppression, Deception, Snobbery and Bias: Why the Press Gets So Much Wrong -- And Just Doesn't Care." The author is Ari Fleischer, who wrangled journalists on behalf of the White House from 2001 to 2003 for President George W. Bush. Published July 4, 2022

“The things that unite us — America’s past of which we’re so proud, our hopes and aspirations for the future of the world and this much-loved country — these things far outweigh what little divides us,” Ronald Reagan told the nation on July 4, 1986. (AP Photo)

Reagan’s July Fourth advice vital in time of dissatisfaction

There's some dismal news this Fourth of July: 85% of U.S. adults now say the country is on the wrong track, and 79% describe the economy as poor, according to a new survey from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. "The national dissatisfaction is bipartisan," the poll analysis said. It is time, perhaps, to revisit the wisdom of former President Ronald Reagan. Published July 3, 2022

The U.S. Capitol is seen at dawn, near a reflecting pool on the Mall. (AP Photo)

‘A stranger in my country’ sentiment widespread, bipartisan

Well, here's some disconcerting news as the nation prepares for the Fourth of July, normally a benign and pleasant holiday with good eats, sparkling fireworks and a general sense of well being. That may not be the case this year. Cultural and political divides are taking a genuine toll on the nation, along with a creeping sense that something is going wrong within the United States of America. So says a poll released Thursday by the University of Chicago's Institute of Politics. Published June 30, 2022

In this Wednesday, July 4, 2012 file photo, a man grills hamburgers and hot dogs in Arlington, Va. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)

July Fourth holiday called ‘red, white and broke’ under Biden

So is July Fourth a happy red, white and blue this year? No, it's more "red, white and broke," according to the Republican National Committee, which continues to research the burden of inflation and a weakened economy under President Biden. Published June 29, 2022

Twin supercomputers Dogwood (pictured here) and Cactus are the newest additions to NOAA's weather and climate operational supercomputing system. Located in Manassas, Virginia, and Phoenix, Arizona, respectively, each supercomputer operates at a speed of 12.1 petaflops, three times faster than NOAA's former system. (Image courtesy of General Dynamics Information Technology)

Petaflops abound at NOAA, bringing better weather forecasts

The National Ocean and Atmospheric Agency has flipped the proverbial start switch on two new "weather and climate supercomputers" on their first operational run. The federal agency is entering a new era. Published June 28, 2022

Adrienne Daily, center, and daughter Kierson Daily of Johnstown raise their fists in protests during a rally against the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade on Friday, June 24, 2022. (Steve Mellon /Pittsburgh Post-Gazette via AP)

Media returns to pushing those ‘peaceful protests’

Much of the news media is bandying about the term "mostly peaceful protests" when they refer to the large and often vigorous gatherings of those who are opposed to the U.S. Supreme Court ruling on abortion. Is this another form of the persistent liberal media bias in the media -- long tracked by such organizations as the Media Research Center? The Republican Party thinks so. Published June 27, 2022

In this Sept. 27, 2017, file photo, an early morning runner crosses in front of the U.S. Capitol as he passes the flags circling the Washington Monument in Washington. (AP Photo/J. David Ake, File)

Americans see their nation as a weaker force in the world

So how is the U.S. perceived on the world stage right now? One significant review is not very promising. "The prevailing view among Americans is that U.S. influence in the world is weakening - and China's is growing," advises a new in-depth study by the Pew Research Center. Published June 26, 2022

In this Nov. 3, 2018 file photo, then-President Donald Trump stands behind Ron DeSantis during a rally in Pensacola, Fla. In 2018, Republicans won their sixth straight gubernatorial election as former U.S. Rep. DeSantis edged out Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum. (AP Photo/Butch Dill, File)

A DeSantis / Trump ticket: Could it happen in 2024?

There has been a veritable deluge of media coverage implying that Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and former President Donald Trump are rivals rather than allies -- and that the 45th president's political influence is waning. Published June 23, 2022

The book “Created Equal: Clarence Thomas in His Own Words” by Michael Pack and Mark Paoletta is based on documents and interviews. The author-editor team also produced a well-received, two-hour documentary film of the same name, but over 90% of the material in the new book did not appear in the film. (Photo by Regnery Publishing)

New book on Clarence Thomas highlights ‘his own words’

A timely and important book arrives Tuesday. That would be "Created Equal: Clarence Thomas in His Own Words," based on both historical documents and extensive, exclusive personal interviews with the Supreme Court justice conducted and edited by Michael Pack and by Mark Paoletta. Do those names sound familiar? Published June 20, 2022

Some critics wonder if President BIden complains too much, saying that the American people "need to catch a break" — not the president. (AP PHOTO)

Biden amps up the whining at the White House

The White House appears to be the latest public showcase for hand-wringing and complaining according to some critics. The Republican Party, in fact, has already labeled President Biden the "complainer in chief," and questions whether such whining is justified Published June 19, 2022

A man pumps gas at a mini-mart in Pittsburgh on Wednesday, June 15, 2022. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

How to solve the gas crisis, Saudi trip or not

So President Biden will journey to Saudi Arabia in mid-July. Multiple news organizations now speculate that Mr. Biden is seeking ways to reduce the price of gas in the U.S. and the Middle East visit could be one way to do that. Others disagree, including House Republican Whip Steve Scalise. Published June 16, 2022

Texas Congresswoman-elect Mayra Flores is celebrating her victory in a special election in the 34th Congressional District Texas on Tuesday which broke the longtime hold of the Democratic Party on that seat. A Republican, in fact, has only secured a victory in the district once in the past four decades. (Image courtesy of Mayrafloresforcongress.com)

Lessons learned from Mayra Flores victory in Texas

Rep.-elect Mayra Flores of Texas summed up her victory in a special election in the 34th Congressional District on Tuesday night as heaven-sent. She broke the longtime Democratic hold on the district, which a Republican had only won once in the past four decades. Published June 15, 2022